Sangean ANT-100 External Antenna

Just make sure you put it near a window. Works awesome.

My old Radio Shack weather radio finally went on the blink. so I got a Sangean CL-100, which gets the job done. However my reception indoors on weather was a bit staticky and could even fade in and out. Setting this antenna in the window did the trick, and also helped FM reception. The built-in antenna was in the way anyhow, and I got to put that away. I put together a magnetic base for the ANT-100 out of a small steel box, which I filled with nails for weight. The antenna is light and probably easy to break if it's in an unprotected spot, but it just sits in the window out of the way. Notice that a lot of weather radios sold today lack the SAME weather alert capability. Sure, you can listen to the weather station on them, but will they sound an alarm when there's a watch or warning for your county? Here in tornado alley, that's important.

I live 50 miles from downtown Houston, less than 10 from Livingston, 25 from Huntsville, and 20 from Cleveland. I purchased three different Sangean radios as well as this Sangean antenna just to see if I can get even a couple radio stations clearly and I cannot. I get better reception from my 1996 Sony boombox and my terrible Walmart plug-in radios. Of course I can return all of this Sangean junk, which is all well and fine; other than the fact that I have wasted a week and a half or two weeks placing orders and paying for these things, opening them up, setting them up, and then having to pack it back up, drive back to a store to return them, and then hope that Amazon gets it right and credits back my card.It’s just ridiculous that it’s 2024 and we cannot get radio stations. We can broadcast live video and audio footage from the moon to Houston, but I can’t get a single radio station just 50 miles away, 50 years later, outside the fourth largest city in America? Must have lost that technology too, huh?

I live on the west side of Norman Oklahoma and should have great weather radio reception. I use a Midland WR400 weather radio. However the NOAA people have been adjusting transmitters and my signal dropped off greatly. This is the second Sangean ANT-100 I've owned. As long as it holds together, it is a great antenna and nearly doubled my received signal strength. However, as I said, this is the second of these antennas that I've owned. The first lasted only a couple of months and came apart. The wire connections and couplings should be treated as FRAGILE … just be careful where you place this. ALSO, the advertising is sketchy or deceptive. The cable length is NOT 12 ft as some of the reference material on the shopping page suggests. It is really closer to 5 or 6 feet. This is a magnetic antenna that works best with a metal ground plane. I used a steel gun lock box that is beside my bed and works perfectly as a solution.

I liked the short time it took to receive my order. I am using it for the weather here in Louisiana. When I got my Radio in the paperwork was a form to buy a External Antenna which I did. That was on 2-20-2025. Have not received as of today 3-19-25. Call California on 3-7-25 an was told they had received my check a would put it at the front of the line. Have not seen or heard nothing. SCAMED.

There were several reviews of this product that stated that the wire on this item frequently separates from the base, which renders the unit completely worthless. I purchased the item anyway, partly because of the Sangean brand name, and partly because I believed that if this was a known issue with the item they surely would have fixed it.I can tell you that the numerous reviews out there that claim that the cord separates from the base are accurate. When my ANT-100 arrived it appeared undamaged and new. Upon taking it out of the package there was a white substance on the antenna base where the wire meets the antenna itself. I assumed that Sangean had added some sort of glue here or had somehow attempted to reinforce the item due to the issues of the wire coming loose frequently.We purchased the ANT-100 in mid-June. The antenna was not immediately used, as I was getting ready to change offices. In mid-July I moved into a new office and took my new Sangean radio and the ANT-100 to the office to use it. As I was plugging in the antenna the cord literally just fell out, with no tugging or pulling occurring. It just fell out on its own as I was plugging it into the radio.The next day I went onto Amazon to try to return the ANT-100 but I was two days past the 30 day return window for this item. I still intend to try to return the item for a partial refund, but it is important for others out there to know that this is a poorly designed item, and it WILL FAIL. The workmanship of this item is incredibly poor, and Sangean has apparently done nothing to fix the known issue of the cord separating from the base on this item.There are some of you who will read this and still consider buying the ANT-100, just as I did. It will be a mistake and you will be frustrated. You should reconsider. Sangean needs to take this item off the market and fix the design flaw and shoddy production quality. Amazon should review this item and consider no longer selling it.************Amended on 08/12/13Although I was unable to return the item through Amazon, I did contact Sangean and they sent out a new antenna. I spoke to an employee there who did admit that they have had issues with this item, and he sent me a replacement without asking me to send him the old, defective item.I have to admit that Sangean took care of the issue, and their representative was very professional in his dealings with me. It is hard to complain about that. If you are gooing to do business with a company, you want it to be a company like Sangean that will take care of customer issues. As a result of them taking care of the issue, I am giving them three stars instead of one star I originally rated them.I still would advise caution in buying this item. It is not constructed well, and is not consistent with the type of quality that you should expect from Sangean. I recommend Sangean radios highly. I do not necessarily recommend this item. If you buy this item, inspect it throughly and handle any returns promptly. I would recommend that you reinforce the area where the cord goes into the base with some sort of epoxy or glue just to add some added strength. And don't be surprised if the item fails in that area dspite your efforts to reinforce it.