FM DX Review: TERK FM+ Indoor Antenna

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FM DX Review: TERK FM+ Indoor Antenna

Postby jon » Fri Apr 08, 2011 5:32 pm

At the outset, it is important to mention that the TERK FM+ antenna sells for just over $9 U.S., much cheaper than I would expect to find anything remotely useful in terms of an antenna. Although I give it a Failing Grade for FM DX, it is much better than many of the "antennas" provided with Home Theatre/Home Stereo Receivers these days. For example, the Panasonic SA-HE100 was fairly high end "AV Control Receiver" in its day -- it came out in 2002 -- but it has no internal antennas for either AM or FM. And it comes with small square untuned and unamplified AM loop, and a single 2-3 foot piece of wire for an FM antenna.

I just completed a simple test of the TERK FM+ using CIBW-FM in Drayton Valley as my reference reception. They are on 92.9 MHz and are powered at 7400 watts ERP from a decent sized tower. My reception point is 58 miles, as the crow flies, from the CIBW tower.

My main reason for choosing the station is that the CCRadio-EP used for testing, got very good stereo reception of CIBW with the internal whip antenna fully extended and adjusted for best reception, and the Fine Tuning knob also adjusted for best reception, yet there were stereo artifacts frequently audible, indicating less than perfect reception.

Results: with the CC's internal whip antenna collapsed and folded away under the handle, and the Antenna Switch changed to EXT, and the TERK FM+ attached, and oriented for best possible reception, and the Fine Tuning knob also adjusted, CIBW was not even listenable. Not even when I switched to FM Mono reception. Perhaps most tellingly, orienting the TERK did not seem to make much difference.

For local 100KW FM stations on the Panasonic, the TERK FM+ is ideal, providing seemingly perfect reception. The "little wire" Panasonic provides has to be carefully placed for best reception, then taped to the floor, wiht positioning different for each local station. Plus, Proximity Effect is a real issue if you walk anywhere near the "little wire". The TERK has none of these problems.

The TERK FM+ comes with a very convenient set of receiver connections:
  • It comes hard-wired to a 75 ohm push-on coax connector; and
  • Includes an adaptor that plugs into the coax connector and terminates in red and black wires with tinned ends for receivers like the Panasonic with antenna terminals that accept only bare wires.

Bottom Line: buy the TERK FM+ for local reception, not DX. Amazon.com appears to be the best place to buy it.

Coming Up Next: I'm now shopping for an FM antenna for DX with the CCRadio-EP. I'll report back on what I come up with.
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jon
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Re: FM DX Review: TERK FM+ Indoor Antenna

Postby TRENT310 » Fri Apr 08, 2011 8:51 pm

Didn't CIBW up their power already? I noted better service into Edmonton.

My thoughts on FM reception are... can't beat antenna height. With AM broadcast it's a lot of designing the antenna, with VHF the antenna design is less important than just having it placed on a high location.
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Location: Whitecourt/Edmonton, Alberta, Canada


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