antenna
Hi all,
First of all, these days there is hardly a clear channel left on the standard AM broadcast band. WCCO however just might be one but I doubt it. Anyway, those stations usually broadcast an omnidirectional 50KW signal day/night, the legal limit. There is no such thing as "boosting power" anymore since CONELRAD became obsolete. Back then selected stations could transmit with more than 50KW under certain conditions using transmitters left over from the days before the limit was established.
As for the antenna, BCB DXers prefer a loop, a very antique sort of affair but highly effective for nulling out unwanted signals. Construction details are a bit too much to post here, you can get them in publications from the 20s and 30s, mostly from the library. Some DXers just may have plans lying around, Google some forums and ask. Alternately you may experiment with a ferrite loopstick and 365pF variable capacitor found in an old transistor radio. You may get lucky and have an old table radio from the 50s kicking around, the loop was wound on the back cover usually, the capacitor mounted on the chassis. Use the antenna section, it's bigger than the oscillator section. Then if it works, use the whole radio. (;->)
With a bit of practice you can position the loop to null or peak a signal so choose a compromise that gives the best reception. My interest started by listening to distant stations at night on an old table radio, then I found a car radio to have the hottest front end of anything around. Naturally, look what it uses as an antenna. Sorry guys, don't bother looking in the junk yard anymore, 50s and 60s cars went to the smelter ages ago and today's radios suk especially since AM is just an afterthought. Not so in Europe, there MW and LW broadcasters abound and the radios are superb so if you're interested have a friend ship one over from, say, Germany.
