How to Improve FM Radio Reception
First, see if your radio has an “AFC” switch or button. This is a feature designed to reduce drifting and distortion on FM. Turning AFC on may improve the reception. If you don’t see the letters “AFC” on the radio, it may not have this feature, or it might have AFC which is always switched on.
Another possible solution is to connect the radio to an external antenna if it has screws for connecting one. In addition to antennas designed to improve FM reception, most TV antennas can also be used for this purpose. However, UHF-only antennas and those with FM filters probably won’t be of much use.
If your receiver has a broken telescopic antenna, the ease of replacing it varies substantially depending upon the model. Some can easily be replaced, while others require opening up the radio. If it was made by a Radio Shack brand (Optimus/Realistic), a R.S. store will probably order the part for you inexpensively.
Some pocket-type receivers which don’t have telescopic antennas will use a headphone or earphone wire as an antenna. If this is the case for your radio, consider using a different pair of headphones or earphones to improve the reception, especially if they don’t have the same wire length.
Larger receivers without telescoping antennas or headphone wire antenna systems may obtain different reception if you rotate them or put them on a higher/low surface. This can be an acceptable solution when using an alarm clock or flashlight-radio, but large stereo receivers are difficult to rotate. You will probably have to connect an external antenna to a large stereo unless you are able to improve the reception using the other techniques mentioned below.
Another button or switch to look for on the radio is “Sensitivity”, which may also be marked “SENS” or “DX/Local”. Generally this is found on fairly expensive receivers, but is also featured on some pocket and car radios. The abbreviation “DX” refers to distant radio stations. Depending upon how strong the station you are trying to receive is, the “DX” or “Local” setting may be preferable. Radios with this feature include the Coby CX-CB91 and Optimus 12-808.
There could be an unnoticed cause of interference behind the poor reception. For example, an FM radio with a computer directly above it (on a higher floor/level) may have bad reception. You will probably have to turn off or move either the receiver or the source of interference. Using batteries instead of AC power can sometimes reduce interference if you can’t eliminate it otherwise.
Finally, some radios simply aren’t capable of receiving weak or non-local stations well. If you decide to look for a higher-quality FM receiver, try to find one with AFC (Automatic Frequency Control), a long telescoping antenna, and/or external antenna screws.
It should have an antenna which turns 360 degrees, or at least left and right, rather than just pulling straight up as the antennas on some radios do. Radios with these features and good FM reception include the Optimus 12-603A, Radio Shack 12-795 (has antenna jack, not screws), and GE SuperRadio III.
