Indoor aerial recommendations for Magnum Dynalab FT101A Tuner

[Wakefield Turntables]

I've got one of these ace tuners and wondered if any AOS'ers could recommend a decent indoor aerial for usage. I also intend buying the Signal sleuth module as well. So, any aerial recommendations would be most helpful.

[Firebottle]

If it's got decent sensitivity you can get away with a bit of wet string almost.
The crucial thing for radio reception is height, the higher the antenna the better the reception.

For a very quick and easy (or down and dirty if you prefer:scratch:) antenna, get a piece of 75 ohm coax with the required plug for the tuner, then at the other end strip 75cm of the outer sleeve off. Open up the outer braid where the outer sleeve now finishes so you can pull the inner conductor out. Then arrange the braid and the inner sleeve into a 1.5 metre wide T shape and see how you get on.

:cool: Alan

A saying amongst radio amateurs is that if you are not worried about your antennas in high winds .... they are not high enough!

[The Grand Wazoo]

The Magnums are very sensitive - are you struggling to get a signal?
Is something in the loft out of the question? If so, you could try connecting it to your TV aerial - I've had surprisingly good results from doing that in the past for temporary setups.

[Kember]

Get Magnum's own SR-100 or ST-2 antennae? I had the ST2 in the nineties and it did very well. I'm told by American friends the SR-100 is even better. But look at the FAQs on Magum's site to understand the respective strengths of the various antennae. And with the pound so strong vs the dollar, I'd think you might import one quite cheaply.

[Wakefield Turntables]

I have no problems with reception and yes something in the attic could be installed, quite easily :eyebrows: I've actually got two TV aerials installed in my house, one in the attic which for some reason looks after our TV in the living room and I also have another aerial on the chimney outside, I have lived in my house for 8 years and never tested it!!!! This aerial lives in the dining room, I dont suppose it would be out of the question to try and realign the cable so it entered my listening room. What do you guys think??? Additionally I have seen the Dynalab external aerials and wondered if this or my TV aerial would be the best bet?? Any further thoughts?:)

[Kember]

The ST-2 will fit in the loft if the clearance is high enough. That is where I had it.

[vinylspinner]

Hi Andy,

Have a look at the Ron Smith range, I use a Galaxy 17 in the loft with great results.

Nigel

[PaulStewart]

Just seen this thread, since 1979 I have used R. Smith aerials as designed and built by the late Ron Smith. Ron put up a system for me at the who wrote the jazz tune indigenous offices in Staples Corner in North London which was split to several sockets in the showroom and to several more in the service department. The system could resolve dutch and french stations in stereo. In the late 80s, I had a huge rotating system on the roof in East London with TV on the rotator as well. This would resolve Anglia and Meridian TV. The BBC use their stuff for monitoring. Well worth putting one in the loft or outside if you can, the BBC said they were the most phase coherent aerials they had ever tested.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Thanks for that! Its a pity you couldnt buy one of these ariels now.

[Marco]

Is the MD in question a vintage tuner? If not, this thread should have been put into Blank Canvas, or if it's a non-digital tuner, in Analogue Art.

Marco.

[Stratmangler]

Thanks for that! Its a pity you couldnt buy one of these ariels now.

Ron Smith aerials still appear to be in business.
http://www.ronsmithaerials.com/catalogue/pricelist.php

[Wakefield Turntables]

Is the MD in question a vintage tuner? If not, this thread should have been put into Blank Canvas, or if it's a non-digital tuner, in Analogue Art.

Marco.

It depends on how you classify "vintage". There is no "reference" definition of the word vintage or as to how its context should be classifed and ones person of vintage differs from another. The model I use has been superceded many times, so I would classify my tuner as vintage. Hope this vindicates the post and clams the wrath of the AOS deities (sic:scratch:).

[User211]

Practically, in the past, I have found if you don't get good results with a simple T aerial in the same room as the tuner, you won't get good results even if you get an external aerial fitted. YMMV of course.

I also went through a big "get the best sounding FM tuner" phase. I bought tuners from various decades and the further I went back the better sounding they got. I ended up with a Scott 350B which I still have from 1963 - one of the first stereo multiplexing tuners. Not accurate but euphonic and very, very listenable. Better than a Sansui TU-9900 by a long shot, though if you have tough reception that is technically excellent and very sensitive. It also sounds OK and better than contemporary efforts I have heard, but I still wouldn't write home about the sound it makes.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Ron Smith aerials still appear to be in business.
http://www.ronsmithaerials.com/catalogue/pricelist.php

Yep noticed this. :doh:


Practically, in the past, I have found if you don't get good results with a simple T aerial in the same room as the tuner, you won't get good results even if you get an external aerial fitted. YMMV of course.

I also went through a big "get the best sounding FM tuner" phase. I bought tuners from various decades and the further I went back the better sounding they got. I ended up with a Scott 350B which I still have from 1963 - one of the first stereo multiplexing tuners. Not accurate but euphonic and very, very listenable. Better than a Sansui TU-9900 by a long shot, though if you have tough reception that is technically excellent and very sensitive. It also sounds OK and better than contemporary efforts I have heard, but I still wouldn't write home about the sound it makes.


I nearly purchased a Sansui TU919 for fun. I'm not looking for "the best FM tuner" just something of very good quality, I only listen occasionally and TBH the tuner I own probably does the job more than adequately.

[walpurgis]

I spotted this Luxman T88V the other day:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/luxman-vintage-tuner-T-88V-/261503921057?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Vintage_Separates&hash=item3ce2d92ba1

Might do you a turn? I was tempted myself as it's rather nice.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Fill yer boots Geoff, I'll stick with the Dynalab, I'm trying to slim down my collection not add. :lol:

[PaulStewart]

Hi Andy,

Ron Smith aerials are still going, Ron's son George runs the company now and they still send kit all round the country you can find them HERE (http://www.ronsmithaerials.com/) you can see the mast being put up for my kit, when I lived in Stoke Newington HERE (http://www.ronsmithaerials.com/zengallery_new/Fixings/triplemast.jpeg) Finally THIS (http://www.ronsmithaerials.com/zengallery_new/Aerials/G23_im93.jpg) plus one of their Arrow TV aerials is what ended up on the roof. I like my FM radio :)

Cheers