Hoping to get some good advice on what car stereo head unit to purchase that will deliver better radio reception.

I am doing up an old 1980's Subaru 4wd wagon and I want to install a head unit with cd player, usb connectivity and bluetooth function but with a better than average AM/FM radio reception especially AM reception signal strength.

My current vehicle has an aftermarket Alpine head unit that sounds great but the AM radio is extremely poor with alot of interference from engine noise that was never present with the old factory tape playing unit it originally had.

The other thing that is annoying is the AM band only goes to 1,620 kHz. I want one that goes up to at least 1,629 kHz as we have a local station broadcasting on that frequency.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Lumbo

Also look into chokes and coils (and earthing) and other things that you can put over/in-line with the power and antenna lines to limit engine noise interference. JayCar would be somewhere to start.

Yeah more of do with the install and the antenna not the head unit.
Make sure you ground well

I think it would be pretty hard to find someone that can tell you. Not many people use AM and fewer people would have compared different head units to find out.

Maybe find an installer and asking them might be the best way. They might be the ones that head feedback from customers about reception quality.

I have used Kenwood head units for years, but I can't help as I have never used the AM reception. In fact, I just installed a Pioneer head unit because the features were better than the JVC/Kenwood it replaced, but I still don't use AM.

No, i can tell you. The quality of the radio amp means f.all. everything will be good enough. It's about the antenna, the clean power and the grounding of the unit. The OEM probably was in there good. Lots of metal on metal. Good power and antenna connections. Then you throw in an aftermarket, with your own connections etc. Make sure you connect the grounding wire to the back of the unit. Consider replacing your antenna. Use a ferrite bead around the power in

Well I will hijack the thread then.......

Why does my old car CD player have "MP3"on the front if it won't play them? I presumed I could put MP3 on a CD and thus have 200 tunes instead of 20. But it won't recgonise the disc..... I can't see any other inputs that would allow MP3 playing, no card reader or jack.

Select to expand quote

FormulaNova said..
I think it would be pretty hard to find someone that can tell you. Not many people use AM and fewer people would have compared different head units to find out.

Maybe find an installer and asking them might be the best way. They might be the ones that head feedback from customers about reception quality.

I have used Kenwood head units for years, but I can't help as I have never used the AM reception. In fact, I just installed a Pioneer head unit because the features were better than the JVC/Kenwood it replaced, but I still don't use AM.

Hi FormulaNova,
You say "Not many people use AM" but just because you don't ever use it does not mean others are not.

If you look at the radio ratings you will see there are many people like myself that still use and enjoy the AM band regularly.

In Sydney 2GB is number 1 with around 12% of the whole Sydney market, 3AW is number one in Melbourne with just over 16% of all people in Melbourne's market and the total weekly cumeulative audience for both the Sydney and Melbourne markets listening to surveyed AM stations is just over 4.2 million people.

That's an awful lot of people listening to AM signals in just 2 of the Australian radio markets. It might be an old technology but lots of us are still using it.

Select to expand quote

lumbo said..

FormulaNova said..
I think it would be pretty hard to find someone that can tell you. Not many people use AM and fewer people would have compared different head units to find out.

Maybe find an installer and asking them might be the best way. They might be the ones that head feedback from customers about reception quality.

I have used Kenwood head units for years, but I can't help as I have never used the AM reception. In fact, I just installed a Pioneer head unit because the features were better than the JVC/Kenwood it replaced, but I still don't use AM.

Hi FormulaNova,
You say "Not many people use AM" but just because you don't ever use it does not mean others are not.

If you look at the radio ratings you will see there are many people like myself that still use and enjoy the AM band regularly.

In Sydney 2GB is number 1 with around 12% of the whole Sydney market, 3AW is number one in Melbourne with just over 16% of all people in Melbourne's market and the total weekly cumeulative audience for both the Sydney and Melbourne markets listening to surveyed AM stations is just over 4.2 million people.

That's an awful lot of people listening to AM signals in just 2 of the Australian radio markets. It might be an old technology but lots of us are still using it.

Settle down mate, I am not arguing to remove the AM band or anything. I was saying that as a proportion of the population, there are probably far less people listening to AM. I am sure there are people that use it, and I even use it myself on country drives when its all that I can receive.

In Sydney and Melbourne, reception on AM is probably excellent no matter where you are. The quality of receiver and antenna is going to make a much bigger difference in marginal areas, so I don't think many people in Sydney or Melbourne would even have reception issues on AM.

I have two Falcons that have antennas built into the windows. The reception on AM is not as good as I would expect, and I think if I lived anywhere I needed to listen to AM or even distant FM, I would be fitting an external antenna to them to improve reception.

Select to expand quote

Mark _australia said..
Well I will hijack the thread then.......

Why does my old car CD player have "MP3"on the front if it won't play them? I presumed I could put MP3 on a CD and thus have 200 tunes instead of 20. But it won't recgonise the disc..... I can't see any other inputs that would allow MP3 playing, no card reader or jack.

Okay, I'll bite. What car is it in?

Generally they will take MP3 CDs. What bitrate have you encoded them at?

In the early days some CD players would not read burnable CDs unless they were the rewriteable type.

Lumbo, I think there are people who have retro fitted car audio antenna to the rear window demister.
My Subaru Gen3 Liberty had incredible FM/AM reception and not a visible aerial in sight. Picked up Triple J clearly from Byron Bay to Port Macquarie on 91.5. The Pioneer unit performed just as good as the Factory Clarion it replaced.
On the occasion of listening to hadley , I quickly changed to FM as the overlapping of adds and his voice got to me, Not his fault just something to do with the super network and Coffs Harbour.

Hey the cricket (ABC) is am here. Mark ditch yr busted arse CD player u tightarase. Cds are good for hanging from the patio tonscare birds. U can get something to play the tunes from yr smartphone for stufall

Select to expand quote

myusernam said..
Hey the cricket (ABC) is am here. Mark ditch yr busted arse CD player u tightarase. Cds are good for hanging from the patio tonscare birds. U can get something to play the tunes from yr smartphone for stufall

I reckon !! Add one of these wireless things as well if you phone speakers are ****e

Select to expand quote

FormulaNova said..

Mark _australia said..
Well I will hijack the thread then.......

Why does my old car CD player have "MP3"on the front if it won't play them? I presumed I could put MP3 on a CD and thus have 200 tunes instead of 20. But it won't recgonise the disc..... I can't see any other inputs that would allow MP3 playing, no card reader or jack.

Okay, I'll bite. What car is it in?

Generally they will take MP3 CDs. What bitrate have you encoded them at?

In the early days some CD players would not read burnable CDs unless they were the rewriteable type.

Its an Alpine aftermarket headunit from about 10-15 yrs ago ie: free
Bit rate? Huh what encoded huh? I just got songs from the interwebs and put then on a CD-R

I have DAB radio in my car and it's pretty amazing. I'm sure most new car stereos can do DAB these days. But doesn't work out in the country.

Select to expand quote

Mark _australia said..

FormulaNova said..

Mark _australia said..
Well I will hijack the thread then.......

Why does my old car CD player have "MP3"on the front if it won't play them? I presumed I could put MP3 on a CD and thus have 200 tunes instead of 20. But it won't recgonise the disc..... I can't see any other inputs that would allow MP3 playing, no card reader or jack.

Okay, I'll bite. What car is it in?

Generally they will take MP3 CDs. What bitrate have you encoded them at?

In the early days some CD players would not read burnable CDs unless they were the rewriteable type.

Its an Alpine aftermarket headunit from about 10-15 yrs ago ie: free
Bit rate? Huh what encoded huh? I just got songs from the interwebs and put then on a CD-R

Model number?

Try burning the same songs on a CD-R/W and see if that works. If it says MP3, it will support it.

If that doesn't work, go buy a new one. They are cheap, and a lot (all?) tend to support bluetooth audio. If you get a mechless (i.e. no CD player) one, you can get a name brand one for less than $100. Plug in an iphone, or USB key, and you are set. Simple, and good quality.

I am echoing myusernam's comments above.

I'm not sure about Alpine, but for years you could take a new Kenwood and plug it into the wiring for an old Kenwood, so the wiring was simple. Now I think they have changed.

Select to expand quote

jamesperth said..
I have DAB radio in my car and it's pretty amazing. I'm sure most new car stereos can do DAB these days. But doesn't work out in the country.

DAB is a good idea, but the cheapskates have dumbed it down. The bitrate of the audio allows for hifi quality. Instead, they use low bitrates so they can fit in more channels, and the audio quality is lower than FM.

Lower than FM? No wonder no one is buying it.

I have two workshop radios that are DAB. Once I setup decent antennas they work okay, but the audio quality is still lower than FM. Its the bitrate that's the problem, so any antenna changes aren't going to make a difference.

Select to expand quote

Mark _australia said..

FormulaNova said..

Mark _australia said..
Well I will hijack the thread then.......

Why does my old car CD player have "MP3"on the front if it won't play them? I presumed I could put MP3 on a CD and thus have 200 tunes instead of 20. But it won't recgonise the disc..... I can't see any other inputs that would allow MP3 playing, no card reader or jack.

Okay, I'll bite. What car is it in?

Generally they will take MP3 CDs. What bitrate have you encoded them at?

In the early days some CD players would not read burnable CDs unless they were the rewriteable type.

Its an Alpine aftermarket headunit from about 10-15 yrs ago ie: free
Bit rate? Huh what encoded huh? I just got songs from the interwebs and put then on a CD-R

Mark, i haven't seen a cd in years but i vaguely remember my stereo (back in 2000) required the cd to be finalised to be able to play MP3 cd's. If the cd wasn't finalised (i.e. so you cant add more songs to it later) it would not play. hope that helps but like i said its been a while so i could be way of the mark.

Blaupunkt used to set the standard for best car radio reception. Alpine head units are great, unless you want to listen to the radio.

Don't forget to line the inside of your doors with bitumen or barium loaded PVC sheeting (I use the stuff that comes backed on a thin aluminium sheet), block all the door frame internal access ports with 1/4 inch MDF screwed and sealed with silastic, and 1/2 inch felt along your entire floor pan. A good set of Dynaudio's will complete the picture. When you're done, it sounds like you are driving in a Merc. My friends always ask why is it so quiet in my car.

Jimeoin knew of two Aerials that fell in love, reckons the wedding was a shocker but the reception was fantastic

Select to expand quote

Mark _australia said..

FormulaNova said..

Mark _australia said..
Well I will hijack the thread then.......

Why does my old car CD player have "MP3"on the front if it won't play them? I presumed I could put MP3 on a CD and thus have 200 tunes instead of 20. But it won't recgonise the disc..... I can't see any other inputs that would allow MP3 playing, no card reader or jack.

Okay, I'll bite. What car is it in?

Generally they will take MP3 CDs. What bitrate have you encoded them at?

In the early days some CD players would not read burnable CDs unless they were the rewriteable type.

Its an Alpine aftermarket headunit from about 10-15 yrs ago ie: free
Bit rate? Huh what encoded huh? I just got songs from the interwebs and put then on a CD-R

Just get a mechless headunit with bluetooth. www.pioneer.com.au/shop/car/mvh-295bt-2/ $139 at Jbhifi

I got one a couple of years ago as all my carefully burnt MP3 discs would bubble and crack after being left in the hot car, also doesn't skip when on rough road like CDs will.

Grab a 64Gb USB while you're in JBs www.jbhifi.com.au/collections/computers-tablets


Sub $200 you can listen to music and have a Bluetooth connection for handsfree for the phone to keep the cops happy.

Mark - some of the early MP3 capable units couldn't play variable bit rate (vbr) MP3. Try downloading or making a constant bitrate (CBR) MP3 at 128kbps and burn to test with. Some early units won't recognise files with id3 tags

Go get the coaxial and roof mount stalk of an accessory antenna system (i suggest you use a 27Mhz CB 50 ohm coaxial for better attenuation coiling properties for AM , but you need to change the fitting on the receiver end to plug into your car radio) for the radio with its plug-in fit to your car radio.

FM is 86 - 140 Mhz
mid band is 113 Mhz.
Wavelength calculation of 113 makes

1/32nd = 82.9646017699115mm

1/16th = 165.929203539823mm

Choose one of the above antenna length and get 2mm wall 2cm pure copper hot water pipe from a plumbing or hardware store.
cut to length.

Get a nut that has the same thread as the roof mount antenna coaxial equipment has but also "the nut outer size" would require "jamming with a hammer" to embed it into the base of the copper pipe.

Get also a suitable size(circumference) screw down with screwdriver pipe clamp(strangler) and put that over the base of copper pipe antenna around the embedded nut and tighten.

Get any Aluminium can and cut the top and bottom off so you have a sheet.

Be sure to have enough height of aluminium sheet the same as the antenna "length" you chose

Roll it like a cigarette into a tube and insert it down the center of the copper pipe and let it spring out to the wall.
Insert an upper roll cut to the top height of the antenna if required.

Put plastic wadding(packing) stomped down the center of the aluminum sheet inside to crush the face of the sheet onto the copper pipe wall and keeps it flush.

Then cover the top with duct tape and around all of its bare metal surface.

Connect and enjoy !
This "system" i made for my UHF 477 Mhz CB and my SW radio in the late 1980's because base aerials were too expensive and mobile do not reach or hear well in some terrain !

It flogs the woop out of any others for performance.

Select to expand quote

nicephotog said..
Go get the coaxial and roof mount stalk of an accessory antenna system (i suggest you use a 27Mhz CB 50 ohm coaxial for better attenuation coiling properties for AM , but you need to change the fitting on the receiver end to plug into your car radio) for the radio with its plug-in fit to your car radio.

FM is 86 - 140 Mhz
mid band is 113 Mhz.
Wavelength calculation of 113 makes

1/32nd = 82.9646017699115mm

1/16th = 165.929203539823mm

Choose one of the above antenna length and get 2mm wall 2cm pure copper hot water pipe from a plumbing or hardware store.
cut to length.

Get a nut that has the same thread as the roof mount antenna coaxial equipment has but also "the nut outer size" would require "jamming with a hammer" to embed it into the base of the copper pipe.

Get also a suitable size(circumference) screw down with screwdriver pipe clamp(strangler) and put that over the base of copper pipe antenna around the embedded nut and tighten.

Get any Aluminium can and cut the top and bottom off so you have a sheet.

Be sure to have enough height of aluminium sheet the same as the antenna "length" you chose

Roll it like a cigarette into a tube and insert it down the center of the copper pipe and let it spring out to the wall.
Insert an upper roll cut to the top height of the antenna if required.

Put plastic wadding(packing) stomped down the center of the aluminum sheet inside to crush the face of the sheet onto the copper pipe wall and keeps it flush.

Then cover the top with duct tape and around all of its bare metal surface.

Connect and enjoy !
This "system" i made for my UHF 477 Mhz CB and my SW radio in the late 1980's because base aerials were too expensive and mobile do not reach or hear well in some terrain !

It flogs the woop out of any others for performance.

Photo please.

Select to expand quote

Harrow said..

nicephotog said..
Go get the coaxial and roof mount stalk of an accessory antenna system (i suggest you use a 27Mhz CB 50 ohm coaxial for better attenuation coiling properties for AM , but you need to change the fitting on the receiver end to plug into your car radio) for the radio with its plug-in fit to your car radio.

FM is 86 - 140 Mhz
mid band is 113 Mhz.
Wavelength calculation of 113 makes

1/32nd = 82.9646017699115mm

1/16th = 165.929203539823mm

Choose one of the above antenna length and get 2mm wall 2cm pure copper hot water pipe from a plumbing or hardware store.
cut to length.

Get a nut that has the same thread as the roof mount antenna coaxial equipment has but also "the nut outer size" would require "jamming with a hammer" to embed it into the base of the copper pipe.

Get also a suitable size(circumference) screw down with screwdriver pipe clamp(strangler) and put that over the base of copper pipe antenna around the embedded nut and tighten.

Get any Aluminium can and cut the top and bottom off so you have a sheet.

Be sure to have enough height of aluminium sheet the same as the antenna "length" you chose

Roll it like a cigarette into a tube and insert it down the center of the copper pipe and let it spring out to the wall.
Insert an upper roll cut to the top height of the antenna if required.

Put plastic wadding(packing) stomped down the center of the aluminum sheet inside to crush the face of the sheet onto the copper pipe wall and keeps it flush.

Then cover the top with duct tape and around all of its bare metal surface.

Connect and enjoy !
This "system" i made for my UHF 477 Mhz CB and my SW radio in the late 1980's because base aerials were too expensive and mobile do not reach or hear well in some terrain !

It flogs the woop out of any others for performance.

Photo please.

Pity i don't have one, anyhow the length to cut is to SWR of the mid band.

I used that system for an SW CB477 and mobile CB and car radio mount alike i wrote their.

Do it, it works "guaranteed".

Try getting a little tranny to put in the car with you.


Then maybe he/ she can tune the radio as you drive along

Select to expand quote

nicephotog said..
Go get the coaxial and roof mount stalk of an accessory antenna system (i suggest you use a 27Mhz CB 50 ohm coaxial for better attenuation coiling properties for AM , but you need to change the fitting on the receiver end to plug into your car radio) for the radio with its plug-in fit to your car radio.

FM is 86 - 140 Mhz
mid band is 113 Mhz.
Wavelength calculation of 113 makes

1/32nd = 82.9646017699115mm

1/16th = 165.929203539823mm

Choose one of the above antenna length and get 2mm wall 2cm pure copper hot water pipe from a plumbing or hardware store.
cut to length.

Get a nut that has the same thread as the roof mount antenna coaxial equipment has but also "the nut outer size" would require "jamming with a hammer" to embed it into the base of the copper pipe.

Get also a suitable size(circumference) screw down with screwdriver pipe clamp(strangler) and put that over the base of copper pipe antenna around the embedded nut and tighten.

Get any Aluminium can and cut the top and bottom off so you have a sheet.

Be sure to have enough height of aluminium sheet the same as the antenna "length" you chose

Roll it like a cigarette into a tube and insert it down the center of the copper pipe and let it spring out to the wall.
Insert an upper roll cut to the top height of the antenna if required.

Put plastic wadding(packing) stomped down the center of the aluminum sheet inside to crush the face of the sheet onto the copper pipe wall and keeps it flush.

Then cover the top with duct tape and around all of its bare metal surface.

Connect and enjoy !
This "system" i made for my UHF 477 Mhz CB and my SW radio in the late 1980's because base aerials were too expensive and mobile do not reach or hear well in some terrain !

It flogs the woop out of any others for performance.

You seem to complicate things a bit. Its an AM receiver. You could just pull a regular antenna out to the same length and achieve the same thing.

Try fitting a 1/4 wavelength AM antenna to your car

Select to expand quote

FormulaNova said..

nicephotog said..
Go get the coaxial and roof mount stalk of an accessory antenna system (i suggest you use a 27Mhz CB 50 ohm coaxial for better attenuation coiling properties for AM , but you need to change the fitting on the receiver end to plug into your car radio) for the radio with its plug-in fit to your car radio.

FM is 86 - 140 Mhz
mid band is 113 Mhz.
Wavelength calculation of 113 makes

1/32nd = 82.9646017699115mm

1/16th = 165.929203539823mm

Choose one of the above antenna length and get 2mm wall 2cm pure copper hot water pipe from a plumbing or hardware store.
cut to length.

Get a nut that has the same thread as the roof mount antenna coaxial equipment has but also "the nut outer size" would require "jamming with a hammer" to embed it into the base of the copper pipe.

Get also a suitable size(circumference) screw down with screwdriver pipe clamp(strangler) and put that over the base of copper pipe antenna around the embedded nut and tighten.

Get any Aluminium can and cut the top and bottom off so you have a sheet.

Be sure to have enough height of aluminium sheet the same as the antenna "length" you chose

Roll it like a cigarette into a tube and insert it down the center of the copper pipe and let it spring out to the wall.
Insert an upper roll cut to the top height of the antenna if required.

Put plastic wadding(packing) stomped down the center of the aluminum sheet inside to crush the face of the sheet onto the copper pipe wall and keeps it flush.

Then cover the top with duct tape and around all of its bare metal surface.

Connect and enjoy !
This "system" i made for my UHF 477 Mhz CB and my SW radio in the late 1980's because base aerials were too expensive and mobile do not reach or hear well in some terrain !

It flogs the woop out of any others for performance.

You seem to complicate things a bit. Its an AM receiver. You could just pull a regular antenna out to the same length and achieve the same thing.

Try fitting a 1/4 wavelength AM antenna to your car

Which car stereos have excellent AM/FM reception? (and it's not complicated, its reasonably simple really)

is what it says, NB mine is good for AM anyhow and you don't want too good reception for AM because AM is "double side-band" uninterpreted, and extremely low frequency so it travels a long way under some meteorological conditions hence at night you want good pickup on what you get but not perfect for the wavelength or there will be ten stations along with a clear audible station.

Select to expand quote

nicephotog said..

FormulaNova said..

nicephotog said..
Go get the coaxial and roof mount stalk of an accessory antenna system (i suggest you use a 27Mhz CB 50 ohm coaxial for better attenuation coiling properties for AM , but you need to change the fitting on the receiver end to plug into your car radio) for the radio with its plug-in fit to your car radio.

FM is 86 - 140 Mhz
mid band is 113 Mhz.
Wavelength calculation of 113 makes

1/32nd = 82.9646017699115mm

1/16th = 165.929203539823mm

Choose one of the above antenna length and get 2mm wall 2cm pure copper hot water pipe from a plumbing or hardware store.
cut to length.

Get a nut that has the same thread as the roof mount antenna coaxial equipment has but also "the nut outer size" would require "jamming with a hammer" to embed it into the base of the copper pipe.

Get also a suitable size(circumference) screw down with screwdriver pipe clamp(strangler) and put that over the base of copper pipe antenna around the embedded nut and tighten.

Get any Aluminium can and cut the top and bottom off so you have a sheet.

Be sure to have enough height of aluminium sheet the same as the antenna "length" you chose

Roll it like a cigarette into a tube and insert it down the center of the copper pipe and let it spring out to the wall.
Insert an upper roll cut to the top height of the antenna if required.

Put plastic wadding(packing) stomped down the center of the aluminum sheet inside to crush the face of the sheet onto the copper pipe wall and keeps it flush.

Then cover the top with duct tape and around all of its bare metal surface.

Connect and enjoy !
This "system" i made for my UHF 477 Mhz CB and my SW radio in the late 1980's because base aerials were too expensive and mobile do not reach or hear well in some terrain !

It flogs the woop out of any others for performance.

You seem to complicate things a bit. Its an AM receiver. You could just pull a regular antenna out to the same length and achieve the same thing.

Try fitting a 1/4 wavelength AM antenna to your car

Which car stereos have excellent AM/FM reception? (and it's not complicated, its reasonably simple really)

is what it says, NB mine is good for AM anyhow and you don't want too good reception for AM because AM is "double side-band" uninterpreted, and extremely low frequency so it travels a long way under some meteorological conditions hence at night you want good pickup on what you get but not perfect for the wavelength or there will be ten stations along with a clear audible station.

The OP was asking for specific help on the AM side of things.

You describe SWR for a receiving antenna, when it is not needed. Your design doesn't add anything to a receiving antenna, so why bother?

Double side band? In regular broadcast AM?

Receiving multiple distant stations? Have you heard of AGC?

Select to expand quote

FormulaNova said..

nicephotog said..

FormulaNova said..

nicephotog said..
Go get the coaxial and roof mount stalk of an accessory antenna system (i suggest you use a 27Mhz CB 50 ohm coaxial for better attenuation coiling properties for AM , but you need to change the fitting on the receiver end to plug into your car radio) for the radio with its plug-in fit to your car radio.

FM is 86 - 140 Mhz
mid band is 113 Mhz.
Wavelength calculation of 113 makes

1/32nd = 82.9646017699115mm

1/16th = 165.929203539823mm

Choose one of the above antenna length and get 2mm wall 2cm pure copper hot water pipe from a plumbing or hardware store.
cut to length.

Get a nut that has the same thread as the roof mount antenna coaxial equipment has but also "the nut outer size" would require "jamming with a hammer" to embed it into the base of the copper pipe.

Get also a suitable size(circumference) screw down with screwdriver pipe clamp(strangler) and put that over the base of copper pipe antenna around the embedded nut and tighten.

Get any Aluminium can and cut the top and bottom off so you have a sheet.

Be sure to have enough height of aluminium sheet the same as the antenna "length" you chose

Roll it like a cigarette into a tube and insert it down the center of the copper pipe and let it spring out to the wall.
Insert an upper roll cut to the top height of the antenna if required.

Put plastic wadding(packing) stomped down the center of the aluminum sheet inside to crush the face of the sheet onto the copper pipe wall and keeps it flush.

Then cover the top with duct tape and around all of its bare metal surface.

Connect and enjoy !
This "system" i made for my UHF 477 Mhz CB and my SW radio in the late 1980's because base aerials were too expensive and mobile do not reach or hear well in some terrain !

It flogs the woop out of any others for performance.

You seem to complicate things a bit. Its an AM receiver. You could just pull a regular antenna out to the same length and achieve the same thing.

Try fitting a 1/4 wavelength AM antenna to your car

Which car stereos have excellent AM/FM reception? (and it's not complicated, its reasonably simple really)

is what it says, NB mine is good for AM anyhow and you don't want too good reception for AM because AM is "double side-band" uninterpreted, and extremely low frequency so it travels a long way under some meteorological conditions hence at night you want good pickup on what you get but not perfect for the wavelength or there will be ten stations along with a clear audible station.

The OP was asking for specific help on the AM side of things.

You describe SWR for a receiving antenna, when it is not needed. Your design doesn't add anything to a receiving antenna, so why bother?

Double side band? In regular broadcast AM?

Receiving multiple distant stations? Have you heard of AGC?

"AM is double side-band" because those spurious harmonics are not blocked beyond the channeling whether a station or CB, only the emission standards are the levels of the blocking, SSB Single Side Band is when they remove the carrier and only allow either the upper (USB) or lower(LSB) carrier modulated spurious harmonics to leave with any power !

Frequencies up to around 50 Mhz tend to go around the world , and in terms of AM Australian broadcast band a small antenna that inducts well works well particularly if the metal will allow the collection of the wave and the resulting generated charge of the wave breaking over it alike a step up/down transformer(OR how an antenna operates).
The one i described operates well for AM Australian public broadcast band.
AGC is Automatic gain control , PLL is Phase lock loop for voltage control (such as voltage control of the carrier oscillator) , Squelch is intermediate frequency receiver phase coupling efficiency to prevent external background spurious emissions reaching a power level sufficient to get through to the oscillator to be decoded and amplified in the receiver.

Select to expand quote

nicephotog said..

"AM is double side-band" because those spurious harmonics are not blocked beyond the channeling whether a station or CB, only the emission standards are the levels of the blocking, SSB Single Side Band is when they remove the carrier and only allow either the upper (USB) or lower(LSB) carrier modulated spurious harmonics to leave with any power !

Thanks. I learned something today!

I hope the OP understands side bands and all that that entails.

Select to expand quote

FormulaNova said..

nicephotog said..

"AM is double side-band" because those spurious harmonics are not blocked beyond the channeling whether a station or CB, only the emission standards are the levels of the blocking, SSB Single Side Band is when they remove the carrier and only allow either the upper (USB) or lower(LSB) carrier modulated spurious harmonics to leave with any power !

Thanks. I learned something today!

I hope the OP understands side bands and all that that entails.

I didn't tell him about any of that, simply how to make an antenna would do what he wanted.