Looking for attic mount FM antenna - Suggestions??

[sic0048]

I am moving along with my parents automation installation. However, I have run into a small problem with their FM radios. All the equipment is located in the HVAC closet on the lowest level of the house and effectively underground (due to the slope of the lot). While they do not live in a major city, they have no trouble receiving FM stations using the basic alarm clocks and other stereos in the house, but I cannot pick up any signals down in the closet when I attach a basic antenna directly to the receivers. They would like to have FM radio as a source, so I need to install a FM antenna in the attic space and run a RG-6 wire down to the closet.

I'm looking for suggestions on what type of FM antenna to get. If anyone has done something similar, I'd love to hear about it. The roof is standard construction with architectural asphalt shingles. Their equipment that I will be using includes 1 B&K CT602 whole house audio system and 2 Integra 5.4 Home Theater receivers. So I will need to split the signal at least three ways once it is in the basement as well.
Thanks.

 

[Kevin L]

My home is set up similarly, only my roof is concrete tile and the walls are concrete block with stucco (typical SW FL construction). I have two Proficient M6 audio controllers for my 12 zones. They have built-in FM tuners. Right now I have one of them with an indoor antenna in the AV closet: TERK FM Edge Dual-drive Amplified FM Antenna - FM4000 . It works just OK, and does not pick up a lot of stations my car will, even when the car is in the garage. I'm also not a fan of Terk.

The other receiver is hooked up to this antenna mounted in the attic: Pixel AFHD-4 AM/FM Outdoor High Definition Radio Antenna (AFHD-4). It works better than the Terk, but is still not an ideal solution. It's likely I'm going to have to mount this outside. Since it's a white whip antenna, it shouldn't be that unsightly. It's one of those projects I'm not in a rush to do, since most of the time I listen to XM/Sirius from DirecTV on the whole-house audio, and that comes in perfectly.

HTH,

Kevin

 

[BryanE]

Magnum Dynalab - ST-2 FM Antenna... best in the business.

https://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=MDST2

 

[jumbodogs]

Wow $100 for FM ... anything good under say $50?

 

[upstatemike]

Another view on Dynalabs ST-2 ... Link

 

[drozwood90]

I've got one of these I'm not using any longer (my new house does not have metalized Insulation)

It says it's UHF/VHF....that doesn't seem like FM to me...but I thought I'd post it up!

--Dan

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

I've got one of these I'm not using any longer (my new house does not have metalized Insulation)

Actually, that would also make a good W800 or MR26a external antenna!

 

[SnyperBob]

Yeah, I'm using something very similar to that as an external w800rf antenna. Probably that same one

 

[drozwood90]

Actually, that would also make a good W800 or MR26a external antenna!

You are right. I was going to build the one in the build section, but I ended up buying this (it was an open box deal). I couldn't get the parts for the DIY version for what I paid (I think $15). So, I used this at my last house, which had metalized insulation. Makes RF difficult.

As soon as I added this, I was able to increase my range from 10' outside the house, to 20' past the neighbor's house (90ish' past my front door, as the birds fly).

In my new house, no metalized insulation. So, I really don't need this.

I should toss it in the for sale section.

--Dan

 

[Sacarino]

Actually, that would also make a good W800 or MR26a external antenna!

It makes a terrific W800 external antenna

 

[JimS]

If there is no real problem with signal strength then just about anything in the attic should do the trick. How about this:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.js...oductId=2062691

Or just make your own out of 300 ohm twin lead. The above link has the length. The ends are shorted and the bottom conductor is cut in the middle for the output. For the feed to the basement use a balun to convert to coax:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.js...oductId=2062054

I'm not a fan of Ratshack equipment but it is easy to get. You may have something like this in the junkbox if you keep stuff that comes with radios/tvs.

Put the antenna perpendicular to the direction to the weakest station. The antenna receives off the sides, not the ends.

There are lots better solutions but this is cheap and may be all you need.

 

[drozwood90]

Jim,

What do you mean by:

Put the antenna perpendicular to the direction to the weakest station. The antenna receives off the sides, not the ends.

Do you mean, looking at the antenna like a cross is the "sides"?

I'm trying to understand what you mean by setting it perpendicular to the weakest signal. I've considered doing something like this for my radios for a while.

--Dan

 

[sic0048]

If there is no real problem with signal strength then just about anything in the attic should do the trick. How about this:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.js...oductId=2062691

Or just make your own out of 300 ohm twin lead. The above link has the length. The ends are shorted and the bottom conductor is cut in the middle for the output. For the feed to the basement use a balun to convert to coax:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.js...oductId=2062054

I'm not a fan of Ratshack equipment but it is easy to get. You may have something like this in the junkbox if you keep stuff that comes with radios/tvs.

Put the antenna perpendicular to the direction to the weakest station. The antenna receives off the sides, not the ends.

There are lots better solutions but this is cheap and may be all you need.

Yeah, that is what I had decided I would try first. I have to run the RG-6 wire in any case, so why not try to hook the cheap OEM wire antenna to it and see if it works. I certainly have a couple of those wire antennas in my junk drawer.

If that doesn't work (although I cannot image why it wouldn't) then I'll go to "plan B" which is to try some of the antennas suggested in this thread.

Thanks for all the information! Keep it coming as it seems that this thread has more interest that I would have first expected B)

 

[JimS]

Do you mean, looking at the antenna like a cross is the "sides"?

I'm trying to understand what you mean by setting it perpendicular to the weakest signal. I've considered doing something like this for my radios for a while.

--Dan

If you view the area from above (like looking at a map) and draw a line from where you are toward the station then place the antenna at 90 degrees from that line. Thought I could find a diagram quickly on line but didn't...

But here is a link to how to make a simple FM antenna:
http://kgnu.org/ht/helpfm.html#makeantenna