Weird reception

[vs1988]

Sometimes I'll pick up a very weak signal that cuts in and cuts out. I noticed that when I put my hand up to, but not touching the antenna, the reception improves a little bit. What is this effect?

Vince

 

[dangitdoug]

Your body is a natural antenna. It can help to direct weak signals to your antenna. The only time you really see this is with weak signals. If you are old enough to remember rabbit ear antennas on TV's, you'll know what I'm talking about.

 

[Randall]

Sometimes I'll pick up a very weak signal that cuts in and cuts out. I noticed that when I put my hand up to, but not touching the antenna, the reception improves a little bit. What is this effect?

Vince

capacitance

 

[Randall]

just ass inductance lowers the resonant frequency of an antenna capacitance raises it,if the signal gets stronger with added capacitance its because your body is tuning the antenna so that its resonance is closer to the signal frequency.