I have an old radio with a broken antenna that I often use to keep me company while I work. Sometimes the stations that I prefer to listen to broadcast from a distant city and have marginal reception that can wane in and out depending on weather and upper atmospheric conditions. While preparing my work area, I happened to plug an extension cord into the same electrical outlet as the radio and the audio volume came alive. I was very surprised and tested this phenomena by unplugging and replugging the extension cord with remarkable results. Then I moved the extension cord around in various positions to optimize it’s effectiveness.

I’ve seen coat-hangers and tin foil used in the past, but this method had better results for me. Ham Radio Operators are aware of proper antenna lengths needed to receive certain frequencies as well as the harmonics of other compatible lengths. I happened to use a 15ft. extension cord when tuned to mid-range FM frequencies. But in the end you can try different length extension cords and maneuver them in different positions.

So, if you need to boost your antenna, try this method in different combinations for best results.