Outdoor FM Antenna Installation

This is a video that shows how the Keykeeper and I installed the Antennacraft FMSS outdoor FM antenna along with a signal amplifier that also functions as a splitter. This will later feed a stereo receiver and an HD Radio tuner.

I'm very much in agreement with the reviews. This antenna works very well. If you have a place to put it, it will dramatically improve the reception of FM radio in your area. At the end of the video, you are hearing a station that is playing from approximately 40 miles away. At $25, this outdoor FM antenna is a steal if you need one.

Should you want to put an antenna up but don't feel comfortable climbing up on the roof or your antenna mast to do it, you could also hang this antenna in your attic if there is room. It would still perform reasonably well.

Note that an omnidirectional FM antenna won't work well for everyone. If you live near a water tower or similar large metal object, you may need a directional antenna for good quality sound.

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• uxwbill
• keykeeper
• outdoor
• FM
• antenna
• installation
• Antennacraft
• FMSS

[bratina501]

Very surprising to use an omni directional antenna. Out where I live directional antennas are almost required on FM due to multipath but I know the terrain to an extent in Illinois (used to live in southeastern Missouri) and I suppose you can get away with an omni to an extent.

[uxwbill]

@bratina501 Luckily, multipath hasn't really ever been a problem in my area. This antenna works quite well, although I need to permanently remove the signal amplifier. I'm not sure it has ever worked properly and the attached devices get plenty of signal without it.

[estefan2020]

Not bad, but the Turnstile type that you installed has a -3db If you were to install a halfwave dipole (stick) you should get more signal. amp? whats the db of the amp 10/20?, and how much noise does the amp produce, 4db?

[uxwbill]

@estefan2020 I don't recall now how much the amplifier can boost the signal. It has a variable amount of signal boosting ability. To be honest, I'm not sure it has ever worked properly and I need to just remove it from the system. I have found that the two tuners I have attached both work fine without any additional signal boosting. FM reception from 30-60 miles out is no problem, and I did pull in a station from about 80 miles away. That station was on the edge of listenable.

[originalMOON3R]

would using a car antenna with some wire to the stereo work any how? cause the nearest station is like an hours drive away n the signal is only strong with some wire

[uxwbill]

@originalMOON3R Sure, but you'll need another car and enough wire to reach an hour away. ;-)

Sorry, that's my attempt at being funny. If you can find a way to connect the car antenna (removed from the car, of course) to your stereo, it should work passably well. There may be an impedance mismatch, though how critical that is I don't know. A cheap dipole antenna ($5 at most) or even 3 feet of bell wire may produce results that are also good.

Maybe someone sells an adapter for this? Dunno.

[billchase01]

Which amp did you use for this installation?

[originalMOON3R]

@uxwbill yea like an antenna from an old car with some wire but never know till i try

[uxwbill]

I don't think the amp will help that situation. The situation here is good for the equipment I used--the only local station has a transmitter located some thirty miles away, so it isn't a problem. I used the amp because the output from the antenna is going to multiple locations--a Sherwood RX-4109, Insignia NS-R2000 (same thing as the RX-4109), Insignia NS-HDTUNE and a Technics SA-929 receiver all get the signal.

[uxwbill]

If you're going to get an HD Radio receiver, I think the only one worth bothering with is the Sony XDRF1HD. I've used the Best Buy NS-HDTUNE and it's pretty deaf in terms of sensitivity, barely picking up stations that all the other receivers on the same antenna pull in perfectly. Radio Shack's Auvio HD Tuner comes from the same maker as the NS-HDTUNE, though it seems at least the controls have been improved. (They are sluggish on the NS-HDTUNE at best.)