AM radio antenna

[Vernonfarmer]

I admit to being a dinosaur, but I enjoy listening to AM radio while traveling and staying in campgrounds. Local color and info and some entertaining talk. No, it's not what it was when I was a news reporter in Milwaukee in the 70's, 80's and a part of 90's. Our 2017 TT has AM & FM radio, but there is no antenna to pull in AM! Is it possible it's part of the tv antenna? Dont think I've tried AM woth th TV antenna up. Any rigs you've had get AM?

[bikendan]

Our 2007 HTT had am but our 2016 TT does not.

[EdJunior]

What is this "AM radio" to which you refer?
<gigglesnort>

I have not listened to AM in so many years, it's crazy to even think about it. I think I did listen one time when I wanted to hear a Cowboys football game coming home. It was a horrible experience.

But, back to the antenna. Hmmm. I had one on my old TT, and have one on my 5th wheel. It is a fold-down antenna and also has a spring. I assume you have scanned the roof of your TT and did not see even a folded down antenna? That is pretty strange, but who knows what the "experts" are thinking these days when designing new RV's.

[Scotch2cubes]

As I had mine pulled apart recently to make some modifications I can say I found my ‘am antenna’ as a simple cable just hanging behind the wall at the receiver. Sort of the same setup you get with a new stereo these days, just a short single conductor plugged in.
Mine was easy to access as it was just a false panel blocking the radio under the sink, which I removed with all the others to do some rework.

[upflying]

I had the same problem...fixed with an old fashion radio antenna on the roof.
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...on-188945.html

[Swaggler]

Our 2014 V-Lite has an AM/FM receiver. There is a good old fashioned am/fm antenna for it up on the roof. Good topic.

[WTP2]

We have the no AM reception problem too. Get FM ok, but no AM. Makes me wonder
If it's grounded. Not sure how to fix it. I have replaced the antenna and that didn't help.

[crinteastwood]

Neither of our Apex Nanos had an A.M. antenna - was told by the folks at FR that nobody listens to A.M. anymore and the installed antenna is a compromise to try and cover TV and both radio bands, but doesnt do a great job on any of them and its a cost saving measure. Asked nicely, seeing as how I had already bought the TT in good faith and didnt know until I tried tuning in the news, and they had my dealer do a regular radio antenna install and they covered the cost for me - second one, I had to pay for the hardware only.

[Mizterusa]

Originally Posted by Vernonfarmer

I admit to being a dinosaur, but I enjoy listening to AM radio while traveling and staying in campgrounds. Local color and info and some entertaining talk. No, it's not what it was when I was a news reporter in Milwaukee in the 70's, 80's and a part of 90's. Our 2017 TT has AM & FM radio, but there is no antenna to pull in AM! Is it possible it's part of the tv antenna? Dont think I've tried AM woth th TV antenna up. Any rigs you've had get AM?

If I remember correctly back in the days AM never used an antenna.

[Vernonfarmer]

Cars had the telescoping stick antenna, table radios had internal loop antennas, and the little transistor radios also had a small directional antenna. That's why you had to turn the radio a certain way in order to get the best reception.

[pgandw]

Originally Posted by Mizterusa

If I remember correctly back in the days AM never used an antenna.

Because of the frequencies used, AM performs best with long antennas - much longer than needed for FM.

OTOH, AM is subject to skip (reflection off the ionosphere) at night and lots of interference. IIRC, the FCC used to mandate reduced power at night to avoid interference from "skip" between stations on the same frequency located far apart. Only exceptions were the "clear channel" owners who had exclusive rights to the frequency for hundreds of miles.

Probably more than you wanted to know.

Fred W

[upflying]

Originally Posted by Mizterusa

If I remember correctly back in the days AM never used an antenna.

You might be thinking of the radio antenna that was inside the windshield on some cars. It was two thin wires compressed in the laminate of the glass.