KRVT has completed a significant power increase for our Tulsa listeners, but for those further away with reception problems, here are a few considerations.

     First, look at the reception environment. If you are listening at work, brick, cement and metal structures can significantly impair AM and FM reception.  In addition, the electrical noise generated by computers and other devices around the office place can literally "drown out" an otherwise strong AM or FM signal.  I worked in downtown Tulsa for years and found that reception was almost impossible unless you could get the radio to a window.  Even then, the noise from a building full of computers made reception tough going.

     But there are things you can do, and these tips apply to home as well as office listening.

     First of all, almost all AM radios contain a built in ferrite rod antenna.  The antenna is very directional.  Try orienting the receiver on its axis until you get the strongest signal.  Typically the radio will deliver the best reception when it is oriented perpendicular to the broadcast antenna.  In the case of KRVT, our towers are located a few miles east northeast of the airport.   Experiment to determine what works best for you.

     Second, if you are experiencing noisy reception, check around for a local noise source.  Again, you can take advantage of the directional characteristics of the antenna in your radio to do some detective work.  Rotate the radio and see which direction causes an increase in noise.  That will help you pinpoint the source.  The most common culprits around the home or office are computers, lighting dimmer switches, fluorescent lights, nearby television sets, and even light bulbs that are about to burn out.  If you have a portable radio, use it to move around the house or office and note where the interference increases or decreases.  That can help you pinpoint the source of interference.

     In one tough case that I had at my home, I finally pinpointed the noise source to a plug in power strip with a built in noise filter.  Unfortunately, at some point in time, the filter did its job of protecting the equipment attached to it, but was destroyed in the process.  The power strip continued to deliver AC power to the devices plugged into it, but it also became a huge noise generator.  In fact, it produced so much noise that I could hear it on my car radio blocks away from my home. 

     "Switching" power supplies used in computers and other digital equipment are also frequent noise generators.  To determine if they are causing problems, try unplugging devices one at a time to see if the noise goes away.  (Just turning them off won't work--pull the plug and see if the noise environment changes).

     Finally, a tough source of electrical noise pollution comes through the power line itself.  If you have an AC/DC radio, pull the plug and see if the interference goes away.  If operation on battery power is noise free, then the noise is coming through the power line.  Again, time to put on your detective hat and see if you can find a device or appliance in you home that is generating the noise.  Remember, the power line is a two way circuit.  If you can locate the device creating the noise, try installing a noise filter (available at local computer and electronics stores) and see if that alleviates the problem.

     All of us have driven around town listening to the radio and have found areas where noise overwhelms the receiver.  When that occurs, you are hearing noise generated by the power grid.  Loose hardware or dirty power line insulators can be a powerful noise source.  If you think the noise in your neighborhood is coming from the power lines, call your electric utility.  They have radio frequency noise specialists that can be dispatched to diagnose the problem.

     I hope this information helps.  Remember, there is no such thing as a "powerful" receiver.  The key to better reception is to utilize a more efficient antenna, or find the source of noise and eliminate it.

    Good luck and good detecting!  If all else fails, listen online, here.