Most regular am radios only have a small ferrite bar antenna inside which is ok if you are only interested in listening to local broadcasts but if you want to have a go at MW DX then an external antenna will make receiving distant stations much easier
Parts Needed
- 28 AWG Solid core insulated wire
- RCA female jack
- Soldering iron and solder
- Screwdriver
- Glue
- Male RCA plug
First of all this is what a regular ferrite bar antenna looks like
Depending on the radio there may be three or four leads coming off the antenna, these we will leave connected as they are. Next you will need to turn the radio on and move the coils along the bar so that you get the clearest signal you can get, normally this will be when the coils are near either end of the bar,then this is done glue the coil in place
Next you will need some solid core insulated 28 AWG wire which you will use to make a small coil at the opposite end of the bar. Wrap about 3 – 4 turns of wire around the bar then slide the coil so it is the same distance from the end of the bar that the other coil is, glue the coil in place after this is done.
Take one end of your coil and solder it to the ground or negative point in your radio, attach the other end to the center pin of your female RCA jack. Connect the outer conductor of the RCA jack to ground or negative point in your radio
Take your male RCA plug and attach a long piece of wire to the center pin. Hang this wire up high, between two trees for example, attach the outer conductor to a metal water pipe and you now have a simple random wire antenna for your modified AM radio.
There are plenty of other antenna designs that work better than just a piece of wire strung up in a tree which I will go over in another guide
Daktologist
