If you have internet in the shop, I think Kent has the answer. I believe just about every radio station broadcasts on the internet now, without a lick of static.
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If you have internet in the shop, I think Kent has the answer. I believe just about every radio station broadcasts on the internet now, without a lick of static.
Contributor
I use ooTunes on my iPhone, hooked up to speakers. Before that, I had an old laptop and I streamed stations. Laptop died, and now I have ooTunes.
Contributor
If yur radio has a connector for an antenna, an outdoor antenna and cable should do the trick. However, most modern portables have no antenna connectors- so possibly that's out. If you have good reception outside your shop, an antenna booster should do the trick - an outdoor antenna and an antenna booster or preamplifier that covers the FM band, and then a cable to an indoor antenna.
Old TV antennnas are not very good, as they are tuned to another frequency band. Make sure all parts are suitable for the FM band.
Last edited by Halgeir Wold; 02-24-2011 at 4:22 PM.
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In my shop I listen mostly to am talk radio - and both inside and outside my reception is piss poor to none at all. I now use the Terk AM passive radio antennae and get great reception. No batteries or wires. I dont know how it works, but it does. Dont know if they have one for FM. It just sits next to my radio and does its thing. Probably magic is involved.
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Just got my shop finished so I figured I'd buy a decent "boombox" style radio. Wouldn't hardly pick a thing up! So I've been wondering what I was going to do too. Happened to find an old radio we had down in the basement...an old portable the size of a hardback book. Electric w/batt backup. But, the antenna was broken off. Tried it anyway. Couldn't believe it...works great, picks up about anything. I was surprised that the "modern" electronics don't hold a candle to the old broken one. Go figure. Greg
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I've got a dedicated iPod in my shop. I keep it in a protective case so I can just blow the sawdust off from time to time. I have it connected to an old computer surround sound speaker system. As I don't need surround sound, I just spread the four speakers out around the shop. Works great, and with 120Gb of my own music I'm always happy with what's playing.
I also recently installed a TV in the shop which is how I get news.
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The sensitivity of modern tuners even higher end (read $4,000+) receivers pale in comparison to older even dirt cheap gear. There are but a handful of people that even bother to compare the specs of tuner sections in receivers anymore. Bottom line the money goes elsewhere now. FYI if anyone cares about FM (or AM) in the shop the cheapest way to get excellent radio reception is pick up a 1970's era receiver from Pioneer, Sansui etc, many of them go cheap on eBay hook up a cheap "T" antenna and enjoy.Originally Posted by Greg Urwiller
Of all the laws Brandolini's may be the most universally true.
Deep thought for the day:
Your bandsaw weighs more when you leave the spring compressed instead of relieving the tension.
Member
Ah, now that sounds like music to my ears. I have a old Yamaha receiver in the basement collecting dust. I haven't moved it to the shop yet because I was waiting to get a better antenna first. Maybe I'll try the Yammy first.
Member
It may actually have a dipole antenna still attched to it, if not they can be found cheap at Walmart or Radio Shack, worth the shot over a "better" antenna depending on how your reception is in your area.
http://www.amazon.com/Petra-880-1100...8595970&sr=8-2
That one is actually overpriced but I linked to it to show you want I am talking about.
Of all the laws Brandolini's may be the most universally true.
Deep thought for the day:
Your bandsaw weighs more when you leave the spring compressed instead of relieving the tension.
Member
I got a dipole at Radio Shack today, moved the old Yamaha to the shop and hooked things up.
Still no better, maybe even a little worse. I may have to get a better antenna and install it in the attic over the shop, or maybe I'll get a home based hookup for the Sirius/XM that I have in the vehicle, or maybe I'll just listen to CD's, or ...
Really was hoping the dipole would help, but I moved it around and it didn't make much difference.
Member
I had a friend with the same problem, working in a metal building. What he did was to get an old "car" radio (since it's designed for an external antenna) and run the antenna outside. A used 12V power supply and he was set.
Your mileage may vary...
[OP]
Member
I'm going to look around this weekend. I will try radio shack. I do not have the internet access out there. I want to be able to run 4 speakers in there.
Member
Couldn't agree more.
Ditto for classic "tuners." You can hook a pair of $20 powered computer speakers up to an old-school tuner, and have the world at your fingertips.
If memory serves, the really boffo thing for a tuner was a PLL circuit -- Phase Locked Loop.
Member
Donnie I too live in the middle of no where and could not get a radio to work. But I noted a car radio did fine. So happened I had a spare I pulled out of a trade in, the problem was a 12 volt power supply that was cheeeeeap. I was at a friends house and saw just what I needed and it would be free. I pulled the power supply out of an old computer, the power supplies are kind of modular and in a metal box with lots of 12 volt pig tails. I just clipped a gator clip pig tail for the antenna and now get all kinds of stations. Cheap and works great. Glad to see you're back in the shop business.
Member
Call me a geek, but i have a radio and a computer w/TV tuner and internet in the shop. I record woodworking and home improvement TV shows and can watch them while I'm tooling around out in the shop. Doing it this way allows me to rewind if what I'm doing needs my full attention. I like the setup i have, keeps it from being too quiet.
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