Val Tests Performance of Grundig AN200 Antenna Loop with a Grundig G8 and Other Radios

 

Val tests the Grundig AN200 on various radios and concludes you're better off getting a good radio that doesn't need it:

At Radio Shack, the Grundig AN200 is on sale for $40 US and in same store the Grundig G8 is $49.

Two different products for one reason-to get better result with reception.G8 is DSP receiver with advanced technology.

AN200 is just wire around circle and variable capacitor. In the store I found weak station on the G8 and after tuning with AN200 I had the desired result. Signal becomes stable and stronger. I bought antenna with temptation to test my radio receivers.

In contrast, with my Sony ICF-EX5MK2, it doesn’t work, except when I tested outdoor with weak stations. It’s amplifying weak signal not much but enough to get better result. Signal becomes stronger and more stable. With Boston Recepter it does same on the weak station like EX5MK2 outdoor and could be more useful than with EX5 because Recepter is very weak on AM frequency. 

For Electrohome Lunchbox it more like a launcher. It makes signal stronger and when I removed antenna the signal was still strong.

The AN200 gave me excellent results with small super portable. My favorite Sony SRF-S86(S84) increased signal dramatically. Sony ICF-S10MK, Panasonic RF-P50 gets stronger and louder.

In my test Grundig AN200 antenna loop doesn’t work with every receiver. A sensitive and selective receiver is unlikely to be improved by the AN200, but   it definitely strengthens weak signals from different abstractions and could be useful like extra tool for improvement. 

Otherwise, I would chose to buy better receiver like G8 for $9 more than spend $40 for weak receiver improvement.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3rV7ta46uU

Val  

Comments

[Tom Welch]

I go to dialysis three times a week and found that only my Sangean DT-400W can handle the RF in a dialysis center. My Tecsun PL-310 and R-912 were useless.

BTW, back on topic, I'm thinking of buying one of these: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Tunable-Loop-Antenna-magically-fixes-AM-Radio-reception_W0QQitemZ170422626953QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Electronics_Radio_Equipment?hash=item27adfaea89

[Stephan]

Talk about timing. I received an AN-200 just in time before Christmas. Posted about it in the dxer.ca forum, a formal writeup should follow soon.

On an ICF-SW7600G, this kind of antenna can get an O=3 signal up to O=4, or O=1 to O=3. IMO I can get to the natural noise floor easily now, with a nice compact setup rather than my huge homebrew loop. My AN-200 will tune right up to 160m, too.

[Gary]

I have a Terk Advantage air-core loop, which is supposed to be similar to the AN-200 in performance. I find that it helps reception with most of my radios. Generally, radios with shorter ferrite bars are helped more.

The key thing with inductively coupled loops is to keep the long dimension of the loop perpendicular to the ferrite bar. Usually, the more one deviates from this geometry, the less the loop will improve reception. If the ferrite bar runs side to side, the loop can be placed in back of the radio or to the side.

I briefly owned a G8. I didn't find its reception on MW (AM broadcast band) to be anything special. Its sensitivity was OK for a subcompact, but it was no better than my DT-400W or E100. Also, it had unwanted hets (tones) on many frequencies, which is why I returned it. All of my larger radios have better MW reception, including my 7600GR and E10 compacts.

[Scooby214]

I didn't much for the G8's AM performance, either. I would've returned it, except for its phenomenal FM performance. It is my best travel radio for FM reception, even slightly besting my Kchibo D96L in FM selectivity and sensitivity.

[Gary]

There is a Kaito version of the AN200, as well as a similar AN100. At Amazon, the AN100 is $5 cheaper.

http://www.amazon.com/Kaito-200-Tunable-Passive-Antenna/dp/B001PNNXGO/ref=pd_cp_e_2

http://www.amazon.com/Kaito-100-Tunable-Radio-Antenna/dp/B001KC579Q/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t