Old school radio help

I finally ditched cable, so now I will rely on AM radio (WCCO) for my Twins baseball fix. I would like to find a good AM/FM receiver for the living room. I know nothing about radios and what makes them good or what makes them bad. Anything special I should be looking for as far as power for the AM side? I’ll be listening in Princeton so it won’t be far from a tower.

I’m hoping there are still some radio guys around that can steer me towards a good brand and place to grab one.

I should add I have no interest in getting a app and streaming over my phone.

Thank you.

Pretty much every AM radio sold in the last 50 or 60 years uses the same antenna and internal architecture. There’s not a lot of difference between them. The antenna is a ferrite rod, 5 or 6 inches long. It is directional so turning things around back and forth will help. It also helps that WCCO is “clear channel”, meaning they’re running 50,000 watts and nobody else is sharing the same frequency with them.

In practice a big factor will be local electrical noise. Power lines, fluorescent lights, battery chargers, etc. all make noise that can cover up weaker signals.

Good luck!

SR

Would an exterior antenna on the house help pull in the farther away channels?

Up north you can pick up the Twins on FM on one of the many affiliate stations. Find one in your area. (Twins radio network.)

-J.

Denny O wrote:

Would an exterior antenna on the house help pull in the farther away channels?

Yes, this is a good idea. Unfortunately most new radios don’t have any provision for doing this.

Thank you guys, i’ll give these a whirl.

Looks like it’s 95.3 for I Falls.

J.

I would look for a Grundig or Sony Tabletop Transister AM/FM radio from the ’60s or ’70s. There are pleanty around on Etsy or Ebay for about $100.

They typically have great sound. The color commentary of the ballgame on the radio is worth the effort….

djshannon wrote:

I would look for a Grundig or Sony Tabletop Transister AM/FM radio from the ’60s or ’70s. There are pleanty around on Etsy or Ebay for about $100.

They typically have great sound. The color commentary of the ballgame on the radio is worth the effort….

Thats what I would like to find, one of those older radios in the wood style cabinet. Maybe i’ll hit some pawn shops.

Not having to listen to another word from Dick Bremer will easily be worth any time & dollars spent on this.

Thanks for responding.

Look at C.Crane brand radios. They are exceptional for AM radio. For in home use I own a model CC Radio 2. Not sure when I purchased it but it has been going strong for 10+ years.

I have a Crane, my review wouldn’t be as glowing as yours, although it is well built. In fact if you want another one PM me a address and i’ll send it to you. There is a problem with the on / off switch though.

Jon Jordan wrote:

Looks like it’s 95.3 for I Falls.

J.

He’s back in Princeton

Dutchboy wrote:

I have a Crane, my review wouldn’t be as glowing as yours, although it is well built. In fact if you want another one PM me a address and i’ll send it to you. There is a problem with the on / off switch though.

I already own 2 and really do not need another one… Which model do you have? The pocket units are not as solid as the bigger units.

I have several radios around here… From cabinet style to pocket sized. I do not know much about them, but I have a grandfather that buys them from the thrift stores and send one home with me almost every time I see him (Which is at minimum monthly). The 2 best ones as far a reception on the AM side is an old panisonic bookshelf unit that has a wood case and silver face. That one has no antenna and I can pull stations from as far away as Dallas – Ft. Worth under the right weather conditions. The speaker is a little crackly but it gets the best reception. The other one I just got from him (I actually saw he had 2 in his living room, and asked for one) is a Grundig. It has a fine tuning knob and I can make the am station from 75 miles away sound like i am in the studio.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/374753159686?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=374753159686&targetid=1529493986782&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9018308&poi=&campaignid=19851828444&mkgroupid=145880009014&rlsatarget=pla-1529493986782&abcId=9307249&merchantid=6296724&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqs6lBhCxARIsAG8YcDgyAeQeVS8Qe2QxcThHJV8Ftsl2oVb5eowqC8gLBOHAHN0lWBbzn-oaAleIEALw_wcB

The link is the exact radio I have.