I know I'm talking to myself here, haha, but I'm slowing figuring this out. So despite having FULL strength reception (as shown by the indicator bars) I was still not receiving in stereo (according the stereo indicator light). I kind of live in a canyon so my reception is not great. The FM-fool web site shows me getting about 3 over-the-air TV stations and I forget how many radio stations. But what I don't understand is why is it that when I go out to my car in the driveway I can get all of the radio stations that I want? (In stereo) As a test, I even brought this tuner out to the car and plugged it in and just messed with the tuning to see if I could tune anything in in stereo mode - and the answer is no I could not. (I didn't bring the whole stereo system out) just the tuner and a 300 ohm dipole antenna for a visual test of indicator lights.) The car has (I think) a basic FM antenna and I was using a basic 300 ohm dipole antenna. From years of experience, I know that fiddling with these 300 ohm antennas and using approximately 8 pieces of tape and pulling things tight in various directions you can make it work. I then remembered that I had one of those "window antennas" with the 6VDC injected into it (that hasn't been used for years) and after fiddling with that antenna...and having to put it behind a picture frame on the wall for some reason....I'm almost there. (I really don't understand what the plastic picture frame is doing to improve reception.) My house is stone on the outside and plaster with metal lathe on the inside, metal not wood. When I first moved into this house the wifi was a joke from my one wifi station. Where I had previously lived, in a house 2x's the size of this house (decent size), one wifi station was sufficient. Since I have moved into this house I have been wanting to hook up an outside FM antenna, but not knowing if my labor and money would result in anything positive I was holding off. Well, I think it's time. Last year I built a huge wooden "T" outside, definitely not for Trump, nor to hang Jesus on, but for bird houses, bird feeders and bird cameras (2010 year security cameras repurposed) feeding into my NAS. I'm thinking about mounting a 60 inch yagi with a rotor on top center of the "T" - of course it would be earth grounded etc. I'm sure my neighbors will think "what the hell is he doing!!!" seeing a 60 inch antenna. I get a lot of cars stopping in front of my house to look at the lights, animal statues, bird setup. I personally wouldn't care what my ridid neighbors would think - so long as I don't suffer a lighting strike.....but....then there's the wife....<sigh>. I must just put up a nice tall mast style outdoor antenna instead of the yagi directional/rotor and see how that works. The key is to first put up the mast antenna, a few months later put up a 40" yagi, wait a few more months then put up the 60" yagi. Kind of let it "sneak up" on her.
I know, FM is outdated, but I still have a few NON Clear-Channel stations where I'm at that are not completely over-produced, plus some public access channels that I really like. In 2012 I tried to find someone who would install a nice antenna "way up" on the stone chimney - 24 ft antenna won't reach the top and there is not a single person that does this type of work, I realize there is no massive demand but I was surprised that I could find a single person
In summary, the damn micro green led light does not work on the "Stereo mute" button but the button does work. I think this was a day well spent
