FM, just like TV, requires a good antenna. The same physical phenomenon, multipath, that causes ghosts in TV reception, also effects FM. Unfortunately, there is no substitute for a good outdoor antenna. In many areas a short piece of wire is often sufficient. If this is true for you, consider yourself lucky. Below we discuss various antenna possibilities from least effective to most effective.

There are dozens of small, clever looking indoor "miracle" antennas on the market. We cannot recommend any of them. None of the truly effective antennas we know of are small or physically attractive. One way or another each of these "miracle" antennas promises more than the physics of the situation allows. If you should try one of these devices be sure to secure a money back trial arrangement. Over the years we've tried selling a few of these devices (against our better judgment) and more than 70% of our customers asked for their money back.

A short piece of wire or a "T" shaped wire (called a Folded Dipole) is usually supplied with the unit. The length of the wire or the top of the "T" is about 48 inches. (Ideal antenna dimensions are determined by the speed of light and the frequency of the station.) The main deficiency of the simple antenna in urban areas is non-directionality. To minimize multipath, we need a very directional antenna. In rural areas, while directionality is not an issue, signal efficiency is. The simple antennas do not pick up enough signal to be useful.

The common "Rabbit Ears" antenna is effective in many situations. If you purchase a Rabbit Ears antenna, look for the "deluxe" version with a multi-position switch in the base. This switch is useful in combating multipath. Avoid the "super deluxe" versions that may require power or batteries, or those equipped with parabolic dishes and similar glitz. These features only enhance the price and offer no possible benefit. Although theoretically similar, there is a practical difference between the Folded Dipole and the Rabbit Ears. The more rigid Rabbit Ears will stay in position when (and if!) you find the "magic spot" that gives clear reception. In theory, the long axis of a Folded Dipole or Rabbit Ears should be parallel to the ground and perpendicular to the line drawn between your location and the transmitter. In practice, other orientations usually result in clearer reception.

An outside multi-element, "yagi" type of antenna comes closest to a "sure bet." The diagonal dimension of a good FM antenna is about 120 inches. We also recommend installing a rotor because these antennas are very directional. While most users don't use the rotor often, a modest initial expense that saves multiple trips to the roof for adjustments makes sense to us. Use coaxial lead-in cable, and install lightning protection. Most of the do-it-yourself antenna installation books were written in the 1950's and will tout the advantages of the flat "twinlead" wire. It is virtually impossible to install twinlead properly. Any potential advantage disappears while twinlead is wet. Modern coax is much improved compared to the crude 1950's variety.

Please use common sense when installing an outside antenna. Poor installations can cause structural damage to your home. Occasionally, we read about someone who is seriously injured while installing an outside antenna.

Although a large outside antenna is certainly the best choice and usually successful, there are some areas, particularly in downtown urban areas or deep fringe rural areas, where no antenna will prove completely satisfactory. There is always an element of chance. Big budget commercial antenna contractors will usually perform a "site survey" which involves erecting a trial antenna at the proposed site and taking some measurements. If the site survey proves unsatisfactory, a different site will be used. Site surveys are not practical for the home owner because the expense of the site survey is usually more than the home owner is willing to commit for the entire antenna installation. Also, home owners are not usually willing to relocate if the site survey is unfavorable.

An interesting new antenna technology based on Fractal Geometry is being developed. Use of Fractal geometry techniques offers the possibility of a smaller, but not miniature, antenna that still retains good performance. You can find more leading edge details on the Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc. web site. To date there are no commercial FM antenna products using this new technology.

Usually not, however mother nature does not always play fair. Occasionally a customer reports a situation where a cheap, obviously inferior FM radio performs better than their expensive, high class stereo receiver. (naturally, on their favorite station) Typically, the customer lives in a downtown urban area with a significant multipath problem (TV reception will also be poor). This apparent anomaly is simply part of the physics. -- Nothing is free -- The cheap radio has restricted bandwidth, usually is not stereo and has high distortion when compared to the high class unit. We must "pay" for our stereo and low distortion with increased susceptibility to multipath and poor atmospheric conditions. A good antenna will help. Relocating the antenna may also help. In urban areas, with indoor antennas, reception may vary in different areas of the same room. Another suggestion is forcing the unit into MONO on particularly bad stations. Giving up the STEREO will often turn an unlistenable station into a tolerable one.

This is a case where the cheap tuner definitely can't hack it. Early transistor tuners had trouble when faced with too many strong local stations. One would observe areas on the dial where multiple stations could be heard simultaneously, sometimes masking a desired station.

Except for rare, extraordinary situations there is no need to put up with this problem anymore. For the equipment we sell and have sold, we don't recall observing this type of problem since the late 1970's.

If signal levels are high enough, this sort of problem can be caused by bad connections in the antenna system. All connections should be clean and tight. If you are using any antenna splitters, don't overlook the possibility of a defective splitter causing this problem. Manufacturing quality control on splitters can be very poor.

Antenna amplifiers usually degrade the performance of a good tuner. Either the tuner or the amplifier will overload in high signal urban areas. Low overload thresholds is another reason we don't like those small "miracle" antennas because they often contain electronics that are easily overloaded. Only if you are in a deep fringe area, using a long length of cable, will an amplifier be useful. The amplifier should be mounted on the antenna mast.

If you live in an urban area and are considering purchasing an older, used tuner that was manufactured in Europe, try the tuner at your location. Compared to the US, Europe has very few FM stations. Few of the 60's, 70's and early 80's European tuner designers had been to the US to observe first hand what a jungle of FM stations we have. While their designs may have yielded excellent results at home, they behaved badly over here. Top line Japanese designers dealt with the problem in units designed after about 1980. In our own first hand experience, a home brew tuner we built performed well in the suburbs. When we brought it to center city Philadelphia it was a disaster.

In addition to the program we wish to hear, the main channel, some FM stations simultaneously transmit additional specialized programs. These SCA (Subsidiary Communications Authorization) subcarriers help the station pay the bills. SCAs can provide Stock Market quotes, background music for local businesses, teletype services for the deaf and blind, automobile navigation information, tutorial information for physicians, and more. Special receivers ignore the main channel and decode the subcarrier. Unfortunately, these auxiliary services sometimes interfere with the main channel stereo program.

The interference manifests itself as a high frequency buzzing sound, sometimes referred to as "birdies" because the buzz may seem to warble and "chirp." (Technically the sounds are 9kHz and 10kHz FM intermodulation products). Poor atmospheric conditions and multipath aggravate the situation. There is a running argument between broadcasters and receiver manufacturers over where to place the blame. While certain tuners perform better in this respect, none are interference free. Forcing the receiver from STEREO to MONO is the best solution. You may find your station transmits the SCA subcarrier only during certain hours.