# Tuning the FM radio

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuning-the-fm-radio/10771>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 20, 2000, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuning-the-fm-radio/10771 "2000-04-20T20:56:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuning-the-fm-radio/10771/1 "2000-04-20T20:56:00Z")

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I have a radio in my office that I listen to  
most days, but the reception is none too good. So why is it that when I walk over to  
the radio to try to tune it better, it gets better all by itself, then when I go back to my desk the static returns? If having a person stand near the radio makes the tuner work better, then how can I make the radio behave as if there were someone standing there so it will sound better? My company  
won’t allow me to hire a professional radio-stander.

Also, why is FM reception so much worse in  
stormy weather (NOT necessarily electrical storms).

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**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuning-the-fm-radio/10771/2 "2000-04-20T21:06:00Z")

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Your body can act as an antenna when you’re near the one on your radio. It’s called the Therimin effect and is even used in a pre-synthesizer electronic instrument of the same name. If you ever heard the cheesy “woo-ooo-ooo” sound in a cheap horror movie you’ve heard a Therimin.

Get a better antenna for your radio and your problems will be solved.

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**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuning-the-fm-radio/10771/3 "2000-04-20T21:21:00Z")

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When I used to work in the consumer industry and I suggested that people improve their antenna for better reception, I’m sure I must have heard

> [@](#):
>
> Antenna… antenna? I need an antenna?

About 50% of the time.

Your body can also act as a damping field, partially shunting or absorbing an electrostatic broadcast. some waves are less affected, depending on their polarization (broadcast angle). If it’s an older tuner with a mechanical tuning dial (the plates in which collect dust & gunk over the years), it’s time to heave it into the trash and get yourself a new one. Some small portable radios are just cheesy and only pick up the strongest stations (these probably have a telescopic antenna that you can’t change). If your tuner has a local/dist switch, make sure it’s set to dist to help the weak or distant signals come through.

Tuner troubles are tough to troubleshoot; the symptoms can be influenced by many factors.

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**Author:** ![EvilGhandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@EvilGhandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilGhandi)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2000, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuning-the-fm-radio/10771/4 "2000-04-21T06:20:00Z")

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For a quick fix you could try rotating the radio a bit (45° or so) and step back. After a few tries you should get at least marginal improvement. Works on the crappy little portable I sometimes take into the field.