Need recommendation for a good FM reciever...


x39

x39

Hyperborean
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I recently gave up television, but find I'd still like a source for news (especially local) and music other than the net. I have a few radios, but none of them seem to be as sensitive as the ones I owned in the past. My problem arises from the fact that I live in a very rural area, and the nearest quality radio stations are 60-80 miles away. I would like a stereo FM reciever with a provision for an external antenna, and prefer analog tuning. A CD/cassette player built in would be a nice option as well, but not entirely neccessary. Any recommendations would be very much appreciated.
 
You could look at a ham radio that gets fm. Buy an external antenna and put it way up. The only problem is that you may just be in a dead zone, spend all that money and get nothing.
 
Shortwave in the bush is fun.I like to hear how our friends in the middle east and Asia see us.Can be enlightening.

flaviln
 
Cc radio,don't remember the model but checkout their website, great radios with what your looking for and good prices. BTW if you attatch a piece of small wire to your antenna (30 foot?) you'll pick up signal better,it's on their website too...Jon
 
I gave up TV years ago, and I'm in kinda the same boat as you as far as radio reception goes. Can get two stations clearly up here...both 'public radio'...BBC yadda yadda...and I got real tired of them real fast, so the radio has been turned off for months. That said, I've been thinking about getting a SW 'emergency' radio for a while. So far, the Tecsun PL 600 has gotten my attention lately. There are a bunch of reviews on Amazon of this radio.

(but then again...'you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows...')
 
I can't really give you model numbers, but definitely look into shortwave radios. Lots of countries are scaling back on shortwave news broadcasts BUT shortwave radio tend to have very good antennas and will support adding an external antenna. I picked mine up on sale at Radio Shack, it's a little Grundig (think I spelled that right) portable job. County Comm sells a small handheld shortwave that's had fair reviews (for the price, it's hard to beat).

http://countycomm.com/gp4light.html
 
If size isn't a deal breaker you might consider vintage component stereo equipment. stuff from the late 70s early 80s is pretty affordable and very high quality. One of my hobbies is collecting old hifi and stereo equipment; My main reciever is a 1979 Technics SA-300 and it blows every new deck out of the water I've heard with less than a $500 price tag. before I put a lot of my belongings in storage, I was a regular listener to an Oklahoma City station ~100 miles away. Crystal clear reception when the radio in my explorer couldn't pick it up sitting in the drive way.
 
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x39 said:
I recently gave up television, but find I'd still like a source for news (especially local) and music other than the net. I have a few radios, but none of them seem to be as sensitive as the ones I owned in the past. My problem arises from the fact that I live in a very rural area, and the nearest quality radio stations are 60-80 miles away. I would like a stereo FM reciever with a provision for an external antenna, and prefer analog tuning. A CD/cassette player built in would be a nice option as well, but not entirely neccessary. Any recommendations would be very much appreciated.
Click to expand...

I'd get a ham station too. You don't need to be licensed to get one, but you do to transmist, just don't hook up the mic! It will receive anything, but also give you the chance to get your ham license later and use it for comms.
 
idial1911 said:
I'd get a ham station too. You don't need to be licensed to get one, but you do to transmist, just don't hook up the mic! It will receive anything, but also give you the chance to get your ham license later and use it for comms.
Click to expand...

Good advice. :14:
-Bruce
 
I have a Kaito 1103. Which I have had for 4 years now. I have had no real issues with it. It isa nice portable sw receiver which also has am/fm. Here is a review of it. Not overly priced either. You can use a external antenna with it. They also make one with a mp3 recorder in it but I don't recall the model #.
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/5071
 
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with a good professional aerial you can use a car radio receiver with cd or tape player.
They are very sensible and stable and the rds system can lock your band.
And in the emergency a spare car battery can support you for days out of the grid.
 
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