Clock radio power cord antenna

[Randall]

Picked up a little $5 used Sony Dream Machine clock radio at Goodwill for my garage. Reception is dodgy when I move around the area. Antenna is the power cord itself. I'm not sure how this works, but is there a way to hack this to enhance reception? I do notice it improves if I just grasp the AC cord with my hand. I just want to listen to NPR when I work on my motorcycle.

[g1]

Just take a long piece of wire and wrap one end around the power cord a few times. Then try running the cable in various directions to see which helps the most.

[Enzo]

Is the garage sided with aluminum? That shields. Try moving the radio. It might work better by a window. Also the "antenna" can be somewhat directional, so just angling the cord different my help. Unless they use frequency synthesis, hey times change, it may have a ferrite rod in the antenna coupling, those are directional, so try turning the radio 90 degrees to one side. a ferrite rod inductor inside.

g1 idea reminds me... 50 some years ago when I was in college, I was on the university radio network. We broadcast on AM in the dorms. It was a low level signal - FCC rules limited reception to 50 feet from the building or less outside. We broadcast with carrier current through the mains wiring. In some areas of the dorm, reception was low, and it helped to sit one's radio on the desk and wrap the desk lamp power cord around it once.

[Randall]

Well, I wondered about wrapping some wire around the power cord. I will try that.

As for the other ideas, the radio is going to live where it now sets as a matter of practical convenience in a cluttered stucco covered wood framed garage with no windows or aluminum anything. I'm in Florida, the garage door is open while I work.

[nosaj]

Well, I wondered about wrapping some wire around the power cord. I will try that.

As for the other ideas, the radio is going to live where it now sets as a matter of practical convenience in a cluttered stucco covered wood framed garage with no windows or aluminum anything. I'm in Florida, the garage door is open while I work.

Stucco is effectively a faraday cage metal screen with concrete slopped on. Bad reception inside good outside.
nosaj

[Leo_Gnardo]

I just want to listen to NPR when I work on my motorcycle.

Gets a like, just for that!