Do radio antennas become noticeably less sensitive over time?

Question

Do FM radios sound worse as they get older, or am I picking up on a problem that doesn't exist?

Answer 1

The antenna does not go bad.  It could be the capacitors in the circuit that is loosing the capacitance that is causing the circuit to de-tune, thus making it sound bad.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_(...

"  Aging

When refurbishing old (especially audio) equipment, it is a good idea to replace all of the electrolyte-based capacitors. After long storage, the electrolyte and dielectric layer within electrolytic capacitors may deteriorate; before powering up equipment with old electrolytics, it may be useful to apply low voltage to allow the capacitors to reform before applying full voltage. Deteriorating capacitors are a frequent cause of hum in aging audio equipment..."