Have just built a Poll barn and after placing my radio in to hear some"Tunes" while I work I find that the metal wall kills some of the sound.Any idea how I can fix this problem? Maybe a longer antenna or run the antenna outside? Thanks so much.
Radio in Pole barn
- Thread starter coolguy
- Start date
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
Re: Radio in Poll barn
All that metal does a good job of blocking the radio signal, so you need an exterior antenna. If you have a window, you may be able to put the radio next to it to get better reception.
All that metal does a good job of blocking the radio signal, so you need an exterior antenna. If you have a window, you may be able to put the radio next to it to get better reception.
7th Kahuna
Well-known member
Re: Radio in Poll barn
Are you loosing reception (stations) or are you saying the sound is off (flat)?
I have issues with reception in my garage. I simply wrapped a loop of power cord around the antenna. Works well enough for me. A longer or exterior antenna would have the same effect.
Are you loosing reception (stations) or are you saying the sound is off (flat)?
I have issues with reception in my garage. I simply wrapped a loop of power cord around the antenna. Works well enough for me. A longer or exterior antenna would have the same effect.
Qrazy
Well-known member
Re: Radio in Poll barn
I have a problem with reception in my basement shop. My solution was to ditch the radio (too many commercials anyways) and take an old stereo receiver (Onkyo from 1985), old floor speakers (laying sideways on a shelf) and hooked a Sansa Clip+ MP3 player to it using a headset style plug to RCA connector cable (Red/White). It works great, holds tons of tunes and I put on the ones I like.
Best part is it is plugged in to an outlet that is switched with the light switch at the top of the stairs, so when I turn on the lights going downstairs the stereo comes on. When I leave going up the stairs I flip the switch and lights and stereo go off.
I have a problem with reception in my basement shop. My solution was to ditch the radio (too many commercials anyways) and take an old stereo receiver (Onkyo from 1985), old floor speakers (laying sideways on a shelf) and hooked a Sansa Clip+ MP3 player to it using a headset style plug to RCA connector cable (Red/White). It works great, holds tons of tunes and I put on the ones I like.
Best part is it is plugged in to an outlet that is switched with the light switch at the top of the stairs, so when I turn on the lights going downstairs the stereo comes on. When I leave going up the stairs I flip the switch and lights and stereo go off.
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junkman104
Well-known member
Re: Radio in Poll barn
Satellite radio, antenna radio is bad here anyway.
Satellite radio, antenna radio is bad here anyway.
egnorant
Well-known member
Re: Radio in Poll barn
I had the same problem and just used my old TV antenna and a homebuilt AM loop (Google it!). On the pole I also included a mount for a dish, digital on air antenna and a solar motion sensor light! This was the day I spent patching all the holes in the roof from the installers just missing the stud and removing vines and such.
I had the ladder out so I figured it was a good time to go all OCD while I was up there!
Bruce
I had the same problem and just used my old TV antenna and a homebuilt AM loop (Google it!). On the pole I also included a mount for a dish, digital on air antenna and a solar motion sensor light! This was the day I spent patching all the holes in the roof from the installers just missing the stud and removing vines and such.
I had the ladder out so I figured it was a good time to go all OCD while I was up there!
Bruce
MagnumForce
Well-known member
Re: Radio in Poll barn
If you have internet in your shop almost all radio stations broadcast over the internet now. Metal buildings make for great Faraday cages.
If you have internet in your shop almost all radio stations broadcast over the internet now. Metal buildings make for great Faraday cages.
Re: Radio in Poll barn
I don't have a metal bldg but we do live in a low spot, poor radioand cell reception. There have been a few links posted before on antennas, both store bought and home made. I made one out of copper wire (ground wire 12 ga romex) that not much more than a 30" square and hung it in the attic. The reception isn't perfect for one station but it does come in way better than before.
I don't have a metal bldg but we do live in a low spot, poor radioand cell reception. There have been a few links posted before on antennas, both store bought and home made. I made one out of copper wire (ground wire 12 ga romex) that not much more than a 30" square and hung it in the attic. The reception isn't perfect for one station but it does come in way better than before.
rieferman
Well-known member
Re: Radio in Poll barn
Before I had steel on my barn I had reception issues already. I went to Radio Shack and bought a powered signal booster that plugged into a wall outlet and to my stereo receiver. It works pretty well, even now that I have steel siding. I think it cost about $15.
However, if you have a radio that isn't powered by a component receiver, you may not have a place to plug in such a device.
Before I had steel on my barn I had reception issues already. I went to Radio Shack and bought a powered signal booster that plugged into a wall outlet and to my stereo receiver. It works pretty well, even now that I have steel siding. I think it cost about $15.
However, if you have a radio that isn't powered by a component receiver, you may not have a place to plug in such a device.
Re: Radio in Poll barn
Do you have a link to what you bought ? I'm curious as to exactly what you used.
btw, I changed your title to pole from poll, as I didn't think you were going to store questions and surveys in it.
Do you have a link to what you bought ? I'm curious as to exactly what you used.
btw, I changed your title to pole from poll, as I didn't think you were going to store questions and surveys in it.