One of the toughest places to get radio reception is inside an office or apartment building. Construction materials like brick and metal, and noise from computers and other electronics can all combine to make radio reception nearly impossible to receive. Besides the construction of the building, you sometimes have to account for your location in the building as well. Often people are allowed to listen to music or radio while they work but a radio can be rendered useless by all the interference. Below are some possible solutions to this issue:
Conventional Solution:
The simplest way to improve radio reception it to put a radio in a window. If you can't do that you still have several options. First using a CCRadio-2E, with its sensitive AM capabilities, is often enough to improve radio reception. If you've already done that, you can try running a wire from your radio to an antenna in a window. You could also try running cable along the floor or through the ceiling, or you could even wrap it around a few co-workers if you like (just kidding. J). But really, running a coax cable (like TV cable) from your radio to a well situated antenna might just do the trick. Two antennas to consider for this type of setup are the Twin Coil Ferrite® AM Antenna or the FM Reflect-2 Dipole Antenna. If you have an "in" with the super, you might even be able to mount an antenna just outside your window. Not interested in purchasing an antenna? Try building your own for free, using our simple antenna plans.
Wireless Solution:
If you can't imagine setting up a bunch of wires in your office or home, or it's just too much trouble to get a cable to run cleanly along the floor or the ceiling, you're not alone. Another possible solution – go wireless. You can set up any radio that receives the station you want next to the window or in the location you receive the signal. Then plug our FM Transmitter-2 into the headphone jack. You can then send that clear signal – be it AM or FM, to any radio that is strategically placed around your home or office. If you opt for the FM transmitter solution, you can expect up to a 70-ft range in an office setting. That will probably drop about 10 feet for every wall or large object the signal has to pass through.
Internet Solution:
If you have broadband access you can opt for one of our internet radios that stream a variety of content. You'll just want to check and make sure that the show or station you want to listen to is available prior to purchasing. We've written several articles explaining in great detail the pros and cons of internet radio to help you decide if that's the right solution for you.
Bluetooth Solution:
If you know what you want to listen to is available on an app, like iHeart or TuneIn, you can use your Bluetooth® enabled device (such as a smartphone or tablet) with a Bluetooth Speaker. It provides much better sound than phones or tablets.
And of course, if you need help figuring out the right solution for you, we're always here to help.