The Insignia HD Radio Portable Player
available from Best Buy is an amazing radio for around $50. The sound is incredible on HD stations and the reception is very, very good.
It has a standard USB jack for charge which means you can plug it into your PC to charge it but if you have a lot of cell phone chargers (like most of us) then you can find power for it almost anywhere. It has a rechargeable battery which lasts around 8 hours.
This radio is a keeper and highly recommended for the features particularly if you have HD stations in the area.
Reception and sound was improved with a favorite set of earbuds: the Sennheiser CX 300 earbuds.
When trying to receive FM signals at home there are a few often overlooked considerations. The one thing to remember is with the FM Broadcast Band that line of sight to the transmitter is important. The fewer obstacles between the reception antenna and the transmitter antenna the better.
1/ Height is the number one consideration in getting quality FM reception. If mounting outside try to get it above the roofline of the closest structure. If inside, put it in the attic or at the top of a closet or up in a crawl space. Reception in the attic is going to be FAR better than reception in the basement and reception in the peak of the house is going to be better than the attic floor.
2/ Keep your cable run as short as possible and use the best coax for your setup. Generally, 10 feet or less you can pretty much use any coax. 10 to 150 feet calls for RG6 and over 150 you should consider RG11 or better such as a flexible hardline depending on the total cable run. The cable is the one loss point in the reception system and it is important not to lose your signal in the cable run.
3/ Location of the antenna can also make a difference. Often moving the antenna from a few inches to a few feet one way or another can make a dramatic difference. There are a variety of reason this happens, but it is one thing that is often overlooked. Try your antenna in different spots before making a final decision and it can work better in place for one station and better in a different place for another station.
4/ Don’t use an amplifier unless it is to overcome a long cable run and then use it on the antenna end to boost the signal before it enters the coax.
5/ All tuners and receivers are not the same. Read reviews and research your tuner or receiver before choosing and determine what is important. Whether it is good quality reception or a balance with better audio presentation is something you’ll have to determine.
6/ Choose the right antenna.
All of these tips are discussed in additional detail in the FM Reception Guide.
