Even if I buy a radio, does it only pick up static electricity? There are several possibilities.
Radio signals can travel for miles to reach your home or the radio of your choice, but depending on your distance and the placement of your radio, you may end up picking up frequencies at bad angles. Radio signals bounce off obstacles, such as objects in your home or your own body, and are reflected back and forth. There’s no way to guarantee which part of your home will receive the best signal of your favorite stations, but even moving your radio a few inches can suddenly improve your signal.
I’m testing an area on the same tabletop at home, and sometimes another antenna picks up a signal better when it’s an inch to the left than another radio. Each radio’s antenna design is different, and the shape of each radio also plays a role. How high is the radio itself? And how high does the antenna pass through?
Some antennas seem to be better than others. For example, Sangean and Studebaker radios consistently performed well in my reception tests. The retractable antennas found on all of the radios we recommend are often the best at receiving signals, but soft wire antennas can also work well if placed in the correct position. I usually get the best results by running a wire antenna up a wall to replicate the telescoping antenna test. If you want something discreet, it’s easy to install it behind a shelf.
You should also ask yourself about the station you are planning to board at. How far away is it and what kind of facilities are there? Check Radio Locator to see which stations are available in your area and how far away they broadcast. Testing in San Diego County found that major stations in Los Angeles and Tijuana had better reception than other stations. Antenna height and design have a bearing on how well the signal can travel, so you may have a better antenna system. A local station was closer. No matter which radio we tested, we found that a local Christian contemporary station only 10 miles away was harder to receive than a major radio station twice as far away.
My testing is based on consistency, so beyond adjusting each radio a few inches on the test stand, I didn’t hunt around to get a better signal for that local station. However, you can try a few different parts of your bookshelf or room to find where you can best receive the radio signal of your chosen station. Portable radios make this a little easier since you don’t have to worry about cords when finding the perfect spot, but we often find that even a few inches can make a big difference in your wireless signal. Ta.
