C. Crane Twin Coil Ferrite AM Antenna

by Sangean

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2 x 9 x 3 inches ; 3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000EFBISE
• Item model number: TCA
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #45 in Electronics > Accessories & Supplies > Audio & Video Accessories > Antennas > Radio Antennas
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 2, 2001

Product Description

If you have a favorite AM radio station, but experience poor reception, the Twin Coil Ferrite � AM Antenna may be just what you're looking for. This patented AM antenna doubles daytime reception, dramatically reduces nighttime fade out, and can even eliminate heavy static and distortion-it's a radio accelerator! Connect to your radio to hear distant low-power stations with amazing clarity. Works with any radio, from portables to home stereos, and includes a unique wireless ferrite stick for use with receivers without antenna connectors. Also includes a wire patch cord for radios with antenna connectors. The basic package comes with five feet of cable to connect the antenna to the tuner, but we also offer 25-foot and 50-foot extension cable kits. Ideal for boosting AM radio reception in brick, stucco, or metal-sided homes.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Most useful in a reception-compromised listening area, February 11, 2007

By 

Mike Walsh (Voorheesville, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: C. Crane Twin Coil Ferrite AM Antenna (Electronics)

To be honest, I tried an "orphaned" TCF antenna and returned it, though not due to any fault in the unit itself. The extra tweaking needed was just not justified given the area I listen in, which already has pretty decent AM reception.

If your radio is in the free and clear, like the top of a wood-structure house, the TCF might not be for you. Bear in mind that there's no magic with radio antennas, and a powered device especially will amplify signal and noise equally, often yielding little or no audible improvement in listening quality.

Where a unit like this really shines is in an environment with compromised AM reception - like a basement or a steel-framed building - where you are able to put the antenna head out in the clear and run a cable to it. In such cases the TCF is an excellent solution to an old problem, and because it was designed by Chris Justice of C. Crane Co., it actually works as advertised, not like those photo-op pieces of plastic injection-molded junk from Terk and Radio Shack.

ONE CAVEAT - bear in mind that if you tune around a lot, you'll always be tweaking this thing, so decide ahead of time if that's for you. For extended program listening it's not really an issue.

And by all means go to CCrane's website and read up on AM reception. Those people are on the level.

I'd give you my opinion of Terk, but I just ate.

Hope that helps.

Postscript, May 26, 2008 : I just re-read my own review and think it was potentially misleading of me to suggest that the TCF is primarily useful when the antenna head is located remotely from a radio-frequency-shielded listening spot. The antenna is better than that and can work wonders with many radios, from small portables coupled "inductively", all the way up to expensive communications receivers with direct connections for external antennas. The TCF is highly directional, and having the antenna head close enough at hand to manually turn it is a great advantage. I probably should have been less stingy and given 5 stars.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For the most part --- it works., January 23, 2008

By 

Ben (Schenectady, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: C. Crane Twin Coil Ferrite AM Antenna (Electronics)

I've owned a Terk AM Advantage passive antenna for several years, and always wondered if the hype generated by the TCF was worth the purchase. In most cases... I guess it is. But its performance will be HIGHLY dependant upon the users location. (no suprise there)

To compare it with the Terk(when used with the CC Radio); In my experiences, I've always used the Terk Advantage "passively" by NOT connecting the lead wires to the AM ant jack on the radio. I found it the least amount of nuisance that way, & it got better results! With the TCF, I say just the opposite. This DOES work better when connected to the AM ant terminals. First of all alot of adjusting is required, if you're like me and you like to flip channels seeking out the goodies. Again, location is the key. This is also true of the receiving antenna unit. A few inches or feet makes alot of difference. Second; I am unfortunate to live within about 2 miles of a 50,000 watt blowtorch!! THIS scenario can cause issues! Also within a few miles, is a 1000 kw signal on 1240. Other oddities include our local 1460 signal which also appears on 560! (this only occurs with the TCF)

Under certain circumstances the TCF can't tune past varying causes of electrical interference the way the Terk can. But, I CAN pick up some long distance stations during the day much better than I ever could with the Terk. So again it highly depends on alot of individual circumstances and conditions. Bottom line... it does reasonably well, but as another reviewer pointed out, it would be spectacular in the boonies where only the odd 1kw signal stood in the way.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It Works!!, April 2, 2008

By 

Merc (Virginia Beach, VA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: C. Crane Twin Coil Ferrite AM Antenna (Electronics)

Yes, it is expensive but this antenna woks and it works great. In my office there is almost no AM reception so I bought a new Sangean Sonido radio (also very nice) for its superior AM reception. It definitely helped, especially if placed by the window, but reception was still horrible so I purchased this antenna. Wow, crystal clear reception in a steel and concrete (secure) building. The Sonido has no antenna input so I stuck the ferrite stick to the back, set the tuner (with a battery installed) at the edge of my desk and ran the antenna unit to the window (a triple pane monster with steel bars on it). Set my station, dialed in the tuner and crystal clear. I even get ESPN, which has the weakest signal possible in my area, almost pefectly.