I agree with your skepticism.

Amplifiers always introduce a certain amount of noise in the system, and if
you can achieve the same level of gain with a passive antenna, that is
better.  Also, the solid state devices in such amplified antennas tend to
saturate in the presence of strong signals and generate all kinds of
intermod products all over the FM band.  Sadly, a high percentage of us
have at least one strong FM station fairly close by.  It is a fact because
of the crowded nature of the FM broadcast band.  I have an obnoxious
head-banger station about 1 mile away, and I can get by with the indoor
dipole arrangement, but put one of those amplified antenas on my stereo,
and the front-end goes SPLATTTTT!!!

73, de Lou K2LKK


At 09:00 PM 8/19/02 -0500, you wrote:
>Okay, I know it's not exactly ham radio related, but.
>
>Is there an indoor fm bc antenna that is truly better than the basic folded
>dipole?
>
>I'm from the old school, and I'm really skeptical about these little boxes
>with a tiny antenna and a high gain amplifier.
>
>Mike Duke, K5XU
>American Council of Blind Radio Amateurs

Louis (Kim) Kline, A.R.S.  K2LKK
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