2. A good antenna where there's no signal won't make a difference: the antenna has to be in the path of the radio signal.

Starting with these two simple principles, you can go a long way toward improving your AM reception without having to spend a lot of money or time.

Let's take a look at the first truth of AM reception - a good antenna. Outside of a few select radios engineered with AM radio listeners in mind (such as the CCRadio plus), most radios treat AM radio like an afterthought. Many radio manufacturers have relegated AM radio to the past, to the days before FM, and they aren't fully aware of AM's continued popularity across the country. The consequence of this move away from AM is that many radios just don't have very good AM antennas. That means it's up to you to find a suitable AM antenna. More on this in a moment, first let's look at basic idea number 2.

If you're trying to listen to a radio station that doesn't broadcast in your direction, chances are very slim that you'll have much luck. Also, if you're antenna isn't directed correctly at the signal coming your way, you'll also experience diminished reception. Ideally, your antenna should be at right angles to the AM signals coming toward it. Think of it in terms of trying to hit a baseball with a bat. Even if you are a phenomenal hitter, it is difficult to hit a pitch with the narrow tip of the bat. Sure you might come close, or if your lucky, you might even make contact with the ball, but you'll never make a good solid connection needed to hit a home-run or even get a base hit. The same is true with radio signals that aren't hitting your antenna.
Now for the finer points. Choosing the right antenna requires that you get to know a bit about your specific needs. What type of building are you in? Wood frame buildings with wood siding shouldn't cause much interference. If you're inside a brick, block, stucco, aluminum, or metal-sided structure, you might get a lot of interference inside the building. The easiest way to check the amount of interference you're getting from your building is to take a portable AM radio outside. If you get good reception outside, but poorer reception inside, it most likely has something to do with the structure of the building.

One of the best ways to overcome most AM radio reception issues it to use the Justice Antenna with Twin Coil Ferrite. It's far more adjustable than ordinary AM antennas, can be fine-tuned, and can also be wired from an internal radio or stereo to a distant window that allows better reception - the antenna element can also be mounted externally to overcome even the most stubborn internal interference.
After reading this short piece does it seem like the Justice Antenna was designed specifically to address the two basics of AM Radio Reception? Well it should, at C. Crane we're proud to say that the Justice Antenna reduces nighttime AM fadeout by up to 99% - that means many more hours of clear radio listening than you'd get with an ordinary radio or radio antenna. Just remember though, even with a good antenna like the Justice Antenna, the second basic idea still holds true - if the antenna isn't in line with the signal, you will not get perfect reception.