How to Boost FM Radio Reception

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FM radio receives its signals from nearby station antennas, so if you are a long distance away or in a rural area, you may have weak reception. Fortunately, it's inexpensive to boost your FM signal. You should be able to listen to a wide variety of stations after tweaking your radio to enhance its antenna reception.

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Step 1

Stretch your radio power cord as straight as possible to see if you can get a better signal.

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Step 2

Switch the stereo sound to "mono."

Step 3

Extend your radio's antenna and slowly move it in different directions to see if the signal improves.

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Step 4

Move the radio near a window, where it will have fewer obstacles between it and the outdoor signals.

Step 5

Buy a dipole antenna from a hardware or electronics store. A dipole antenna is a small, T-shaped antenna that you can use to boost your signal.

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Step 6

Attach the dipole antenna to the FM input on your radio. Slowly move the wire around while you flip through stations to see if you can get a better signal.

Step 7

Install an outdoor antenna outside your house if you live in a rural area far from radio stations. Plug the wire from the antenna into the radio's input jacks and mount the antenna on your roof with screws. It should be parallel to the ground, and not tilted, to receive the best results.

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