Harman Kardon HK330VI Owners Manual - Page 10

APPENDIX! - Antennas for Your hk330 Vi - 'MR Jr-T:74- '41 While it may seem obvious that an antenna is critical to good reception, it is not often given sufficient consideration. The results can be significantly reduced tuner performance (a classic example of "garbage in, garbage out"). The question of just how elaborate an antenna installation you need can be determined by considering the following: 1. How good is reception in your area? If you live in an area with a moderate number of strong FM and AM stations, you may not need as large an antenna as you would if you live in a rural area or an urban area with many adjacent stations. 2. Are you interested in receiving weak or distant stations? Some very interesting programming (ethnic, classical, college formats, for example) is often on stations with very low transmitting power. Or you may simply live in an area far removed from all stations. If so, you should consider a more elaborate antenna installation. 3. Is stereo separation, bandwidth and freedom from interference critical? If you often tape broadcasts, or own a system where you can hear critical differences in broadcast quality, investing in a better antenna can increase the overall fidelity of many stations. 4. Does your living environment allow a large antenna, either indoor or outdoor? Sometimes space, physical layout (such as living in an apartment house) or even city ordinances can affect your decision in this respect. 5. Do you have access to FM through a TV cable system? The benefits of using commercial cable as a high-quality FM source are many and you should investigate this option if it is available. In general, the higher the antenna, the better it will perform. Radio waves travel better in straight lines from the transmitter, and if your antenna is free and clear of obstructions, it will perform better and you will enjoy greater signal strength. An indoor antenna, such as the one included with your new receiver will work well if you enjoy good "line of sight" with the area's FM transmitters or live in the upper stories of a building. Remember, however, that indoor antennas cannot provide height and may be prone to receiving interference from cars on the street or small appliances in the kitchen. If you are satisfied with the performance of an indoor antenna (or are limited in this respect), your first choice is the halfwave dipole antenna included with the hk330 Vi. It will work well in many situations and can be used until you decide whether or not you need a more extensive antenna system. Because it is basically bi-directional, it may be prone to interference or may limit your ability to "fine tune" certain stations that are not on its axis. The next choice is a pair of "rabbit ears" like the ones often used with television sets. While they have some of the same drawbacks as a flexible dipole, "rabbit ears" are easier to adjust manually for a given station. Make sure that they are not equipped with an FM trap, which would remove the FM signal from TV stations received. The best possible indoor antenna is a table top model specially designed for FM reception. There are many brands on the market including some powered designs, and models with manual fine-tuning adjustments. Check with your Harman Kardon dealer for advice on which is most appropriate for your needs and budget. Properly set up, an outdoor FM antenna can provide significantly better reception than any indoor design. Options range from simple, omni-directional dipoles to elaborate directional designs with rotators that can give you the best possible reception of any given station. If you are plagued by severe localized noise and multipath interference, you should consider a directional Yagi-style antenna if possible. Consult with your Harman Kardon dealer or a local radio/television supply shop, since this decision must be made on the basis of your individual area. Just as the cables used to connect your system contribute to its sound quality, so the feedlines running from your antenna to your new receiver play an important part in good reception. 300O twin lead-in is inexpensive and has relatively low signal losses (1.25dB per 100 ft. at 100MHz), but if improperly installed, can act as an antenna itself, picking up unwanted signals. It also suffers signal losses when it becomes wet. Twin lead should be routed to avoid gutters, electrical wiring, pipes and other metal objects. 75Q coaxial cable is more expensive and has slightly higher signal losses (3.5dB per 100 ft. at 100MHz) but is far less prone to external noise, interference and weather, due to its shielding and design. You will need to use a matching transformer at the antenna end. Note to CATV system Installer: This reminder is provided to call the CATV system installer's attention to Article 820-22 of the NEC that provides guidelines for proper grounding and, in particular, specifies that the cable ground shall be connected to the grounding system of the building, as close to the point of cable entry as practical. 10