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How to Make an FM Antenna

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff | References

Updated: November 19, 2019

Explore this Article

Using a Coaxial Cable

Using Speaker Wire
Questions & Answers
Tips and Warnings
Related Articles
Article Summary
References
This wikiHow teaches you how to create your own FM antenna in order to increase your FM receiver's range.
Depending on your preferred range, you can do this by using either coaxial cable or speaker wire.

Method 1
Using a Coaxial Cable

1. 1
Gather the necessary materials. In order to make a vertical antenna from a coaxial cable, you will need the
following materials:[1]
 50 ohm (or 75 ohm) coaxial wire with copper shielding
 FM receiver with a coaxial connector
 3/8-inch copper tubing
 Wire cutters
 Hacksaw
 Soldering equipment
2. 2
Calculate the length of your antenna. This will determine both how much of the coaxial cable you have to strip
and how long your copper tubing should be:
 Divide 468 by the frequency to which you want to connect (e.g., 468/108MHz would become 4.3).
 Divide the resulting number by 2 (e.g., 4.3/2 would become 2.15).
 Multiply the resulting number by 12 inches (30.5 cm) to find the antenna length (e.g., 2.15*12 inches would
become 25.8 inches).

3. 3
Cut off one end of the coaxial cable. While you'll want to leave one end of the coaxial cable intact in order for it to
serve as the connector, the other end will need to be removed.
 You can use your wire cutters or a hacksaw to do this.

4. 4
Strip half of the antenna's overall length from the end of the coaxial cable. You'll need to remove each layer of
shielding until you arrive at the white layer surrounding the coaxial cable itself.
 For example, if your antenna is supposed to be six inches per your calculations, you'll remove three inches
of shielding.
 You'll need to remove the copper shielding during this process. The easiest way to do so is by making a
shallow incision with the hacksaw all the way around the shielding and then attempting to strip it off from
there.

5. 5
Cut the copper tubing to half of the antenna's overall length. The copper tubing will comprise the other half of
your antenna's receiver, so it should be the same length as the section that you just stripped.
 Again, if you're using a six-inch antenna, the copper tubing will be three inches.

6. 6
Attach the tube to the coaxial cable. Slide the copper tubing onto the coaxial cable's stripped end, then slide it
down to the

7. 7
Solder the coaxial cable's shielding to the tubing. You can do this by removing the PVC (black) shielding from
around an inch of the coaxial cable directly below the unshielded part, peeling it back with a pair of pliers to form a
lip, and then using your soldering pen to connect the lip to the copper tubing.

8. 8
Connect the coaxial cable to your audio receiver. The remaining coaxial connector should plug into the receiver's
coaxial antenna port, which makes the rest of the antenna placement fairly simple.
9. 9
Place the antenna. Once the antenna is plugged in, angle it toward the nearest station and secure it in place if
necessary.
 The fewer obstructions between your antenna and the nearest FM station, the stronger your signal will be.
 Your coaxial cable may be stiff enough to stand on its own without needing support, but you can use stables
or any adhesive to prop up your antenna as needed.
Method 2
Using Speaker Wire

1. 1
Understand when to use this method. If your connection to an FM station is mostly fine but requires some fine-
tuning from time to time, you can use speaker wire as a quick range-extender to improve the quality of your
connection.
 Speaker wire is not an ideal solution to long-range issues. If you're having trouble receiving a signal at all,
you should try using coaxial cable instead.

2. 2
Gather the necessary materials. In order to craft a crude antenna from speaker wire, you'll need the following
items:[2]
 10 feet of speaker wire
 FM receiver with clamp-and-hold (or post) FM connections
 Wire strippers

3. 3
Split three feet of the speaker wire. Using a knife or a pair of pliers, separate the top three feet of the speaker wire
tubes from each other. You should be left with three feet of spit wire and seven feet of intact wire.

4. 4
Arrange the speaker wire to form a "T" shape. You'll do this by bending each of the split wire ends at a 90-
degree angle to the seven-foot section of wire.

5. 5
Strip the bottom two inches of insulation from the speaker wire. Use the wire strippers to do so. This will expose
two bare wires at the bottom of the "T" shape.

6. 6
Find your receiver's antenna connections. These two connections will normally be marked "FM EXT" or "ANT
EXT", but you'll almost always see "FM" somewhere near the connection; you should also see the word "Balanced"
or "BAL" near the appropriate connections.
  FM receivers can have either clamp-and-hold connectors or post connectors. Clamp-and-hold connectors
resemble literal clamps, while post connectors resemble knobs with exposed metal between them and the
receiver itself.

7. 7
Connect the bottom of the "T" to the receiver. Use each of the exposed wires at the bottom of the "T" shape to
connect to each of the FM connections.
 If there's only one FM connection, you can twist the two bare wires at the bottom of the "T" together to form
one wire that can connect to the clamp or post.

8. 8
Place the antenna. Ideally, you'll place your antenna as high up and as close to the nearest station as possible. In
some cases, this may mean threading your antenna along the top of a wall, or even running it outside.
 You may have to move the FM receiver in order to make this possible.
Community Q&A
 Question

What is an FM dipole antenna?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer

The dipole antenna is a simple antenna consisting of two rods or wires of exactly the same type and length, which
serve as the conductive elements for the electrical energy. The current is applied (transmitter) or taken (receiver)
from between the two halves of the antenna. To help you get an image, just think of the "rabbit’s ears" used for
broadcast television sets. You can find greater detail on how this antenna works in the Wikipedia article "Dipole
antenna."
Not Helpful 0Helpful 1

 Question

Can I use a CB antenna for FM radio?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer

It is possible to use a CB antenna for FM radio. Some people like doing this to avoid having too many antennas or to
keep things tidy in a vehicle or other place. It can be helpful to use a CB/FM splitter, that enables you to get the CB
and FM reception. You can find instructions for using the CB antenna as an FM radio on various CB users’ forums
online.
Not Helpful 1Helpful 0

 Question

How do FM antennas work?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
 A transmitter FM antenna creates electrical signals or electrical energy and turns this energy into radio waves
(electrons travel back and forth along the antenna, creating electromagnetic radiation). The electromagnetic radiation
is better known as "radio waves" and these waves then travel long distances, carrying the sounds, songs, talk, etc.
you’re familiar with on radio. A receiver antenna (on your radio, for example) captures the radio waves that have
been transmitted, and the electric current generated is converted by your radio into the sounds you enjoy listening to.
The bigger or more powerful the antennas, the farther the radio waves will travel.
Not Helpful 0Helpful 4

 Question

Can I use a digital TV antenna for FM radio?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer

If the digital TV antenna is able to receive VHF television signals, then it may work for FM radio, as the frequencies
are quite close. However, most TV is on the UHF band now, so any digital antenna that is made only to receive these
frequencies won’t work well for FM radio.
Not Helpful 0Helpful 1

 Question

How do I point my satellite dish?

Community Answer

FM radio does not come from a satellite. It comes from ground stations. A satellite dish will not help you get better
FM radio reception.
Not Helpful 3Helpful 10

 Question

Does the antenna align parallel with the airwaves (toward the transmitter) or perpendicular to it?
Community Answer

Perpendicular. The radio waves have to intersect the metal of the antenna to cause a small voltage. Parallel to the
transmitter offers much less harmoic area to intercept the radio waves.
Not Helpful 15Helpful 31

 Question

How do I connect an FM antenna?

Community Answer

Look at the back of your radio and find the external antenna connection. Match the connectors on the radio to an
appropriate type of connection fitting, and put two and two together. This is a very simple process unless your radio
has no provision for an external antenna.
Not Helpful 13Helpful 22

 Question

Where can I get a 300 ohm cable?

Community Answer
 Home improvement stores should carry it.
Not Helpful 5Helpful 9

 Question

Where can I obtain the horizontal antenna piece?

Community Answer

You can create your own horizontal piece by using a piece of the 300 ohm cable. Length will be a multiple of 37.66".
Each end will be stripped back about 1/2", and then the exposed wires will be bent to touch each other and soldered
together. Insulate the ends. Then, in the center of this piece, carefully expose about 3/4" of one of the wires. This
becomes your horizontal piece, with the exposed cut side being the 'bottom'.
Not Helpful 19Helpful 21

 Question

What part of the antenna do I use to attract the wavelength frequency?

Community Answer

You intersect the waves with all of the antennae. Ideally, you'd make the length of the lead from the antenna to the
receiver a multiple of 5/8th, too
Not Helpful 4Helpful 6
Show more answers

Ask a Question

Submit

Video.
Tips
 Coaxial cables and speaker wire are both fairly cheap. If you already have the proper tools to create your preferred
antenna, you can make an antenna for a fraction of the price of purchasing a new FM antenna.

Not Helpful 0Helpful 1

 Both antennae constructed here are "balanced" and will be inconvenient to connect to the typical "unbalanced"
telescoping antenna.

Not Helpful 0Helpful 1

Warnings
 If your antenna is placed outside, you should implement some form of lightning protection.

Not Helpful 1Helpful 2

 Antennae that are placed outdoors should have weatherproofing measures (e.g., waterproof coating) in place.

Not Helpful 0Helpful 1

Related wikiHows
How to
Build Antennas

How to
Calculate Wind Load

How to
Hook Up a TV Antenna
How to
Make a HDTV Antenna

How to
Build a Low Cost WiFi Antenna

How to
Make a Wifi Antenna
How to
Fix a Radio Antenna

How to
Design a Simple Antenna

How to
Tune an Antenna
How to
Make a Wireless Antenna

How to
Make a TV Antenna with a Potato

How to
Buy a TV Antenna

About This Article

Co-Authored By:
wikiHow Staff Editor
 This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and
comprehensiveness.
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 23
Updated: November 19, 2019
Views: 1,224,214
Categories: Featured Articles | Antennas
In other languages
 Print

 Send fan mail to authors

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,224,214 times.
References
1. ↑https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK0KX0YcvH0
2. ↑https://www.techwalla.com/articles/how-to-make-a-simple-antenna-to-improve-the-reception-of-an-fm-radio-
receiver
Is this article up to date?
Yes No
Co-Authored By:
wikiHow Staff Editor
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 23
Updated: November 19, 2019
Views: 1,224,214

TP
Tracy P.
Dec 31, 2016
"I am understanding and building some of Tesla"s work. Its fun. I am against all big companies, because they..." more
Share yours!More success stories

Related Articles

How to

Calculate Wind Load

 How to

 MESSAGES
 LOG IN
 EXPLORE
 HELP US
We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy.
Okay

 Article
 Home
 Categories
 Computers and Electronics
 Consumer Electronics
 Television
Learn why people trust wikiHow

How to Make an FM Antenna

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff | References

Updated: November 19, 2019

Explore this Article

Using a Coaxial Cable

Using Speaker Wire
Questions & Answers
Tips and Warnings
Related Articles
Article Summary
References
This wikiHow teaches you how to create your own FM antenna in order to increase your FM receiver's range.
Depending on your preferred range, you can do this by using either coaxial cable or speaker wire.

Method 1
Using a Coaxial Cable
1. 1
Gather the necessary materials. In order to make a vertical antenna from a coaxial cable, you will need the
following materials:[1]
 50 ohm (or 75 ohm) coaxial wire with copper shielding
 FM receiver with a coaxial connector
 3/8-inch copper tubing
 Wire cutters
 Hacksaw
 Soldering equipment

2. 2
Calculate the length of your antenna. This will determine both how much of the coaxial cable you have to strip
and how long your copper tubing should be:
 Divide 468 by the frequency to which you want to connect (e.g., 468/108MHz would become 4.3).
 Divide the resulting number by 2 (e.g., 4.3/2 would become 2.15).
 Multiply the resulting number by 12 inches (30.5 cm) to find the antenna length (e.g., 2.15*12 inches would
become 25.8 inches).

3. 3
Cut off one end of the coaxial cable. While you'll want to leave one end of the coaxial cable intact in order for it to
serve as the connector, the other end will need to be removed.
 You can use your wire cutters or a hacksaw to do this.

4. 4
Strip half of the antenna's overall length from the end of the coaxial cable. You'll need to remove each layer of
shielding until you arrive at the white layer surrounding the coaxial cable itself.
 For example, if your antenna is supposed to be six inches per your calculations, you'll remove three inches
of shielding.
 You'll need to remove the copper shielding during this process. The easiest way to do so is by making a
shallow incision with the hacksaw all the way around the shielding and then attempting to strip it off from
there.

5. 5
Cut the copper tubing to half of the antenna's overall length. The copper tubing will comprise the other half of
your antenna's receiver, so it should be the same length as the section that you just stripped.
 Again, if you're using a six-inch antenna, the copper tubing will be three inches.

6. 6
Attach the tube to the coaxial cable. Slide the copper tubing onto the coaxial cable's stripped end, then slide it
down to the
7. 7
Solder the coaxial cable's shielding to the tubing. You can do this by removing the PVC (black) shielding from
around an inch of the coaxial cable directly below the unshielded part, peeling it back with a pair of pliers to form a
lip, and then using your soldering pen to connect the lip to the copper tubing.

8. 8
Connect the coaxial cable to your audio receiver. The remaining coaxial connector should plug into the receiver's
coaxial antenna port, which makes the rest of the antenna placement fairly simple.

9. 9
Place the antenna. Once the antenna is plugged in, angle it toward the nearest station and secure it in place if
necessary.
 The fewer obstructions between your antenna and the nearest FM station, the stronger your signal will be.
 Your coaxial cable may be stiff enough to stand on its own without needing support, but you can use stables
or any adhesive to prop up your antenna as needed.
Method 2
Using Speaker Wire

1. 1
Understand when to use this method. If your connection to an FM station is mostly fine but requires some fine-
tuning from time to time, you can use speaker wire as a quick range-extender to improve the quality of your
connection.
 Speaker wire is not an ideal solution to long-range issues. If you're having trouble receiving a signal at all,
you should try using coaxial cable instead.

2. 2
Gather the necessary materials. In order to craft a crude antenna from speaker wire, you'll need the following
items:[2]
 10 feet of speaker wire
 FM receiver with clamp-and-hold (or post) FM connections
 Wire strippers

3. 3
Split three feet of the speaker wire. Using a knife or a pair of pliers, separate the top three feet of the speaker wire
tubes from each other. You should be left with three feet of spit wire and seven feet of intact wire.

4. 4
Arrange the speaker wire to form a "T" shape. You'll do this by bending each of the split wire ends at a 90-
degree angle to the seven-foot section of wire.
5. 5
Strip the bottom two inches of insulation from the speaker wire. Use the wire strippers to do so. This will expose
two bare wires at the bottom of the "T" shape.

6. 6
Find your receiver's antenna connections. These two connections will normally be marked "FM EXT" or "ANT
EXT", but you'll almost always see "FM" somewhere near the connection; you should also see the word "Balanced"
or "BAL" near the appropriate connections.
 FM receivers can have either clamp-and-hold connectors or post connectors. Clamp-and-hold connectors
resemble literal clamps, while post connectors resemble knobs with exposed metal between them and the
receiver itself.

7. 7
Connect the bottom of the "T" to the receiver. Use each of the exposed wires at the bottom of the "T" shape to
connect to each of the FM connections.
 If there's only one FM connection, you can twist the two bare wires at the bottom of the "T" together to form
one wire that can connect to the clamp or post.

8. 8
Place the antenna. Ideally, you'll place your antenna as high up and as close to the nearest station as possible. In
some cases, this may mean threading your antenna along the top of a wall, or even running it outside.
 You may have to move the FM receiver in order to make this possible.
Community Q&A
 Question

What is an FM dipole antenna?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer

The dipole antenna is a simple antenna consisting of two rods or wires of exactly the same type and length, which
serve as the conductive elements for the electrical energy. The current is applied (transmitter) or taken (receiver)
from between the two halves of the antenna. To help you get an image, just think of the "rabbit’s ears" used for
broadcast television sets. You can find greater detail on how this antenna works in the Wikipedia article "Dipole
antenna."
Not Helpful 0Helpful 1

 Question

Can I use a CB antenna for FM radio?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
 It is possible to use a CB antenna for FM radio. Some people like doing this to avoid having too many antennas or to
keep things tidy in a vehicle or other place. It can be helpful to use a CB/FM splitter, that enables you to get the CB
and FM reception. You can find instructions for using the CB antenna as an FM radio on various CB users’ forums
online.
Not Helpful 1Helpful 0

 Question

How do FM antennas work?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer

A transmitter FM antenna creates electrical signals or electrical energy and turns this energy into radio waves
(electrons travel back and forth along the antenna, creating electromagnetic radiation). The electromagnetic radiation
is better known as "radio waves" and these waves then travel long distances, carrying the sounds, songs, talk, etc.
you’re familiar with on radio. A receiver antenna (on your radio, for example) captures the radio waves that have
been transmitted, and the electric current generated is converted by your radio into the sounds you enjoy listening to.
The bigger or more powerful the antennas, the farther the radio waves will travel.
Not Helpful 0Helpful 4

 Question

Can I use a digital TV antenna for FM radio?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer

If the digital TV antenna is able to receive VHF television signals, then it may work for FM radio, as the frequencies
are quite close. However, most TV is on the UHF band now, so any digital antenna that is made only to receive these
frequencies won’t work well for FM radio.
Not Helpful 0Helpful 1

 Question

How do I point my satellite dish?

Community Answer

FM radio does not come from a satellite. It comes from ground stations. A satellite dish will not help you get better
FM radio reception.
Not Helpful 3Helpful 10

 Question

Does the antenna align parallel with the airwaves (toward the transmitter) or perpendicular to it?
Community Answer

Perpendicular. The radio waves have to intersect the metal of the antenna to cause a small voltage. Parallel to the
transmitter offers much less harmoic area to intercept the radio waves.
Not Helpful 15Helpful 31

 Question
 How do I connect an FM antenna?
Community Answer

Look at the back of your radio and find the external antenna connection. Match the connectors on the radio to an
appropriate type of connection fitting, and put two and two together. This is a very simple process unless your radio
has no provision for an external antenna.
Not Helpful 13Helpful 22

 Question

Where can I get a 300 ohm cable?

Community Answer

Home improvement stores should carry it.

Not Helpful 5Helpful 9

 Question

Where can I obtain the horizontal antenna piece?

Community Answer

You can create your own horizontal piece by using a piece of the 300 ohm cable. Length will be a multiple of 37.66".
Each end will be stripped back about 1/2", and then the exposed wires will be bent to touch each other and soldered
together. Insulate the ends. Then, in the center of this piece, carefully expose about 3/4" of one of the wires. This
becomes your horizontal piece, with the exposed cut side being the 'bottom'.
Not Helpful 19Helpful 21

 Question

What part of the antenna do I use to attract the wavelength frequency?

Community Answer

You intersect the waves with all of the antennae. Ideally, you'd make the length of the lead from the antenna to the
receiver a multiple of 5/8th, too
Not Helpful 4Helpful 6
Show more answers

Ask a Question

Submit

Video.
Tips
 Coaxial cables and speaker wire are both fairly cheap. If you already have the proper tools to create your preferred
antenna, you can make an antenna for a fraction of the price of purchasing a new FM antenna.

Not Helpful 0Helpful 1

 Both antennae constructed here are "balanced" and will be inconvenient to connect to the typical "unbalanced"
telescoping antenna.
 Not Helpful 0Helpful 1
Warnings
 If your antenna is placed outside, you should implement some form of lightning protection.

Not Helpful 1Helpful 2

 Antennae that are placed outdoors should have weatherproofing measures (e.g., waterproof coating) in place.

Not Helpful 0Helpful 1

Related wikiHows

How to
Build Antennas

How to
Calculate Wind Load
How to
Hook Up a TV Antenna

How to
Make a HDTV Antenna

How to
Build a Low Cost WiFi Antenna
How to
Make a Wifi Antenna

How to
Fix a Radio Antenna

How to
Design a Simple Antenna
How to
Tune an Antenna

How to
Make a Wireless Antenna

How to
Make a TV Antenna with a Potato
 How to
Buy a TV Antenna

About This Article

Co-Authored By:
wikiHow Staff Editor
This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and
comprehensiveness.
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 23
Updated: November 19, 2019
Views: 1,224,214
Categories: Featured Articles | Antennas
In other languages
 Print

 Send fan mail to authors

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,224,214 times.
References
1. ↑https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK0KX0YcvH0
2. ↑https://www.techwalla.com/articles/how-to-make-a-simple-antenna-to-improve-the-reception-of-an-fm-radio-
receiver
Is this article up to date?
Yes No
Co-Authored By:
wikiHow Staff Editor
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 23
Updated: November 19, 2019
Views: 1,224,214

TP
Tracy P.
Dec 31, 2016
"I am understanding and building some of Tesla"s work. Its fun. I am against all big companies, because they..." more
Share yours!More success stories

Related Articles
How to

Calculate Wind Load

How to

Hook Up a TV Antenna

How to

Make a HDTV Antenna

How to

Build a Low Cost WiFi Antenna

How to

Make a HDTV Antenna

How to

Build a Low Cost WiFi Antenna