antenna help

[Steve]

New to group.

Hope this isn't too lame for folks-

I have a cheap 'boombox' radio in my garage, and would like to improve the
reception. It has the standard extendable antenna on it, but doesn't receive
stations very well.

Is there a way to hook up an external antenna to it? I have VERY basic
elec.skills, but think I could manage any fix suggested

Thanks for your input Steve

 

[Michael A. Covington]

AM or FM?

What kind of setting? Wooden or steel-framed buildings? Hilltop or valley?
City or small town? How far away is the station you are wanting to receive?

In general, what you'll do is set up a conventional FM antenna with a 75-ohm
line. Connect the center lead to where the built-in antenna enters your
radio (leave it folded up short) and the cable shield to circuit ground
(probably the shield of the earphone cable).

Or you might try simply adding length to the existing antenna. It's
presumably a 1/4-wave vertical (30 inches long). Try tripling this to 3/4
wave (90 inches) by adding a piece of wire clipped to it and extending as
near as possible to straight up.