[OT] Best FM aerial?

I know it is not for a Digital TV,but...

....is there a better FM aerial than one of the 'halo' ones that at least 50%
of people seem to have?

I have also seen ones that look like really old (1950s) TV aerials which I
presume are for FM.

TIA

Dave R

--

On Sun, 9 Jan 2005 13:02:53 -0000, David W.E. Roberts
wrote:

I know it is not for a Digital TV,but...

...is there a better FM aerial than one of the 'halo' ones that at least
50%
of people seem to have?

I have also seen ones that look like really old (1950s) TV aerials which
I
presume are for FM.


The 'halo' is a non-aerial and you should not even consider it. Except in
fringe areas, all you need for FM is a simple dipole. If this doesn't
provide enough signal, a three-element yagi will give better reception.
It's very unlikely that you will need anything better than this.

Arthur

take a look at
http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/verthalo.html

Bill

wrote in message
oups.com...
take a look at
http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/verthalo.html

Bill

Ah - thanks for this.
I knew I had seen a critique of the 'halo' somewhere.

Now looking for a vertical half wave dipole on the net.

So far they seem to be aimed at transmission, and/or PMR466 use.

Any pointers to a handy supplier welcome.
I presume the sheds etc. just stock the 'halo' (if anything).

Cheers

Dave R

"Arthur" wrote in message
news
On Sun, 9 Jan 2005 13:02:53 -0000, David W.E. Roberts
wrote:

I know it is not for a Digital TV,but...

...is there a better FM aerial than one of the 'halo' ones that at least
50%
of people seem to have?

I have also seen ones that look like really old (1950s) TV aerials which
I
presume are for FM.


The 'halo' is a non-aerial and you should not even consider it. Except in
fringe areas, all you need for FM is a simple dipole. If this doesn't
provide enough signal, a three-element yagi will give better reception.
It's very unlikely that you will need anything better than this.

Arthur

Thanks - presumably the Yagi will be directional?

If so, is there a site like Woolfbane to rell me where to point it?

Cheers

Dave R

David W.E. Roberts wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
take a look at
http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/verthalo.html

Bill

Ah - thanks for this.
I knew I had seen a critique of the 'halo' somewhere.

Now looking for a vertical half wave dipole on the net.

So far they seem to be aimed at transmission, and/or PMR466 use.

Any pointers to a handy supplier welcome.


Here's a dipole:

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSea...KU=AFROD&N=401

but you can get a full kit from Maplins including (IIRC) 10m:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...dID =&doy=9m1


--
Steve - www.digitalradiotech.co.uk - Digital Radio News & Info

Find the cheapest Freeview, DAB & MP3 Player Prices:
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/fr..._receivers.htm
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/da...tal_radios.htm
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/mp...rs_1GB-5GB.htm
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/mp...e_capacity.htm

On Sun, 9 Jan 2005 16:47:36 -0000, David W.E. Roberts
wrote:


The 'halo' is a non-aerial and you should not even consider it. Except
in fringe areas, all you need for FM is a simple dipole. If this
doesn't
provide enough signal, a three-element yagi will give better reception.
It's very unlikely that you will need anything better than this.

Arthur

Thanks - presumably the Yagi will be directional?

If so, is there a site like Woolfbane to rell me where to point it?


Yes, a yagi will be directional but is fairly large and you will probably
not need it. Signal levels are in very high in most areas, so that
portable radios can work without an external aerial - this is why a crap
piece of metal like a halo will often give a satisfactor signal. If you
replaced it with a metal bucket it would work just as well.
Where are you?

Arthur

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote in message
...
snip
The 'halo' is a non-aerial and you should not even consider it. Except
in
fringe areas, all you need for FM is a simple dipole. If this doesn't
provide enough signal, a three-element yagi will give better reception.
It's very unlikely that you will need anything better than this.

Arthur

Thanks - presumably the Yagi will be directional?

If so, is there a site like Woolfbane to rell me where to point it?

Found http://www.zoo.co.uk/~nw/soundscapes...ry/dipole.html which
confirms it is directional.

Also confirms that it is tuned to receive a certain band of frequencies.

I think FM covers about 80-110 MHz so I presume one aerial will cover all
this :-)

Aha!
http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/...3&page=2&pp=25
says "Maplin sell them for 15-25 quid. alternatively, get yourself down to
B&Q and get a band II FM dipole for a tenner, borrow someone's hacksaw and
cut each length to around 66cm, re-assemble and voila - you have a DAB
dipole!"
which implies that B&Q do supply dipoles :-)

I guess
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...ID =6&doy=9m1
or
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...ID =6&doy=9m1
should do me, although I guess the dipole will be fine as I am currently
using the 'negative gain' halo on my partially dismounted old aerial mast.

B&Q website is no help, so I guess I'll nip up to the nearest store first
thing in the morning.

Cheers

Dave R

Thanks - presumably the Yagi will be directional?

If so, is there a site like Woolfbane to rell me where to point it?


The vertical dipole is (in the main) omni directional, although if mounted
mid mast, the mast can affect this.
A horizontally polarized three element band II yagi is directional. I have
one of these pointed at Sutton Coldfield from above Evesham. The reflector
is the longest element and goes at the back.

To decide which way to point it you need to decide which stations you will
mainly be wanting. Most people point it at their main nationals FM
transmitter (as most relays are vertically polarized.) There is little point
in directing a horizontally polarized array at a vertically transmitting
relay station.

My array picks up the BBC stations and Birmingham locals perfectly, but
other locals from Malvern and Lark Stoke are also excellent due to high
local signal strength. A vertical dipole struggled on the Birmingham
stations and was not good enough at my rural location.

If reception on a portable receiver is okay on the rod aerial, try a
vertical dipole first, unless you are trying to receive out of area
broadcasts.

"Arthur" wrote in message
news
On Sun, 9 Jan 2005 16:47:36 -0000, David W.E. Roberts
wrote:


The 'halo' is a non-aerial and you should not even consider it. Except
in fringe areas, all you need for FM is a simple dipole. If this
doesn't
provide enough signal, a three-element yagi will give better reception.
It's very unlikely that you will need anything better than this.

Arthur

Thanks - presumably the Yagi will be directional?

If so, is there a site like Woolfbane to rell me where to point it?


Yes, a yagi will be directional but is fairly large and you will probably
not need it. Signal levels are in very high in most areas, so that
portable radios can work without an external aerial - this is why a crap
piece of metal like a halo will often give a satisfactor signal. If you
replaced it with a metal bucket it would work just as well.
Where are you?

Arthur

Thanks - will go for the dipole first.

I am in Felixstowe, Suffolk. IP11 postcode