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- Verified Buyer
I've tried perhaps a dozen different antenna's for my FM receiver over the years (Dipoles, rabbit ears, compact non-powered "amplified", etc), and none really was much better than the others, though some were definitely worse. So, thinking I'd try one more I ordered one of these, and after waiting for it to arrive was surprised to find it providing better reception than any of the others that I've ever tried in the past.It provides a good strong signal, adding an extra bar to the signal meter for nearly all stations that weren't already strong to begin with, and was able to bring in a couple more stations in stereo that I have never been able to listen to in stereo before. Heck, I didn't even know they were stereo stations until having this antenna hooked up and saw the stereo light light up as I was scanning stations along the dial.One station that's about 30 miles away has always been "iffy" depending on the atmospheric conditions. Sometimes you can't even hear this station at all from where I'm located, while other times although weak, the signal comes through enough so it's not breaking up and can at least be listened to . While being very weak and going in and out on the day this arrived using a pair of rabbit ears, it came in loud and clear using this antenna.While I don't personally like the design itself, as it's really a pretty flimsy strip of plastic about 2 feet long and 2 1/2" wide or so that flops around and bends pretty easily, and being a design that you can't just set on top or your receiver or on a table nearby, and the coax cable being pretty thick and inflexible, I can't deny that it is the best antenna for an FM receiver that I've ever used, and provides the strongest and most stable reception of every type of antenna I've tested so far.For now, I've just left it laying on the floor, behind the receiver, where it's out of sight , and it's still pulling in signals loud and clear.After having it for about 3 weeks, I hooked up a pair of RCA rabbit ears, with those providing the best reception prior to getting this, just to compare them again, and immediately noticed the additional hiss coming through with the music, and when I checked those two stations that showed up being stereo with the Monarch, they were no longer able to be received in stereo, so I hooked the Monarch back up.So, aside from the mounting problems due to it's design, I would recommend it if that's not a concern for you, and your only concern is to get an antenna that provides the strongest reception you can get at around the $20 price point. For the noticeably improved signal that it provides, the $20 was worth it to me.I have a very nice Sangean HDR-18 HD FM radio, which has a great tuner (and fantastic sound), but comes with a telescoping whip antenna. The whip provide only mediocre reception so I have been trying to find an indoor FM antenna that would improve reception, especially of some lower-powered classical stations in my area, and saw some flattering reviews of this one.I wasn't optimistic but for the price, I figured what the heck (plus you get a couple of connector convertors that, purchased separately in a store, would cost nearly as much as the antenna!).Well, I am impressed. After a bit of fiddling to find the sweet spot, I was able to get a solid, "full quieting," no hiss signal from a 250 watt (ERP) station 16 miles away. I also started hearing other stations that I was unable to receive clearly in the past.The thing to realize is that this antenna can be very directional. You may not be able to stick it in a window and get strong signals from every station you want; the window may not be facing in the right direction or at the best angle. I fortunately live in a wooden house and did not need to put the antenna in a window; it's behind a bookcase on a outer wall (where it's picking up the signals I want better than if it were in either of the two nearby windows, one facing west and the other north).So the message is: Don't just unbox the antenna and stick it to a window (with the built-in tape). First experiment with positioning, both in and near windows, especially if you are in a wooden building. Even if you are in an apartment framed in steel, where you must use a window, try as many different positions on the glass as possible before you actually tape it down. The antenna can function horizontally or vertically, but experiment to see what works best for the station(s) you want to pick up.Fortunately, the antenna comes with 15 feet of coaxial cable which allows a good deal of flexibility in positioning the antenna.
