What's a quick, easy and inexpensive way to boost the am/fm signal to my home radio?

These are rated pretty high by customer reviews, it only does FM. if you don’t like it it can be returned for a refund. http://www.amazon.com/Terk-Outdoor-Dual-Drive-Amplified-Antenna/dp/B00009UHYQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422930976&sr=8-1&keywords=terk+fm+50

Put your hand on the radio and don’t move. Turn radio on. The human body seems to amplify the signal, for some reason, at least around here. My only NPR station fades after the sun goes down until I hold onto the little single antenna (it’s a small boom box.)

This does restrict my other activities, such as walking.

Your rabbit ears will work. You can also buy an amplified antenna from some electronics store, or discount outlets. I had a weak FM signal until I installed an amplified unit. Sometimes there is an AC “switched” (only comes on when the radio is turned on) or you can just plug it into a wall outlet. Mine also has an AM receptacle. You could try running a wire along the ridge of the roof and hook it to the radio’s antenna connector. (It should be grounded, though.) Or connect to radio antenna to the grounded outlet in the wall’s electrical outlet. This will turn even the ground wires on the power poles into an antenna.

Although you asked one question you are atually stating two diferent problems: AM and FM are different.
Typical FM radio stations are in the 78–108 MHz region call it 100 MHz and have a wavelength of about 3 meters. A 5/8 wave antenna resonating antenna for that regime would be just about the size of a conductive sack of salt water – a human. Touch the antenna input and the signal will increase. While FM waves bend a little they really favor line of sight so any increase in height will improve the signal.
AM radio stations are in the 550 to 1700 kHz ( 0.55 to 1.7 MHz) region . Call it 1 MHz. They have a wavelength of 300 meters. A different technology is needed to capture those waves. Usually it is a long winding of wire around ferrite core that is hidden in the radio. To improve signal yo need to move the radio so the coil is facing just the right way: rotate and twist, rotate and twist. AM wave can bend a lot and can actually hug the ground. Why is your signal weak? Many broadcast stations are reducing their transmitting power. Fewer people are listening over the air and the writing is on the wall. If nobody pushes back they will continue the trend. If you make a complaint, a simple email will do, they can make an adjustment.

Signal multipliers are available for about $20. You might find that the radio is near a noisy electrical source like an older CFI bulb or switching dimmer. Move it or replace the offending items. .

Thanks, @1TubeGuru. I was hoping for an inexpensive booster that I can have inside, but I appreciate the research/link.

I can’t even get decent NPR by holding the antenna, @gailcalled. Makes me nuts sometime when I get out of the car with a great NRP story and can’t finish it in my house.

Are you talking about something I can plug into the outlet, and then plug the radio into, @kritiper?

I live in a hole, @LuckyGuy. My house is tucked up against the Mississippi River bluff. There is a town on the other side of the bluff I can get local stations from, but selection is limited. The town atop the bluff (and a few miles over) has both an AM station and NPR that would be my ‘go-to’ stations but I can get neither. Tell me more about signal multipliers? Simply?

Compounding the problem is the fact that I have limited use satellite internet, and I’m afraid streaming will burn my usage up too fast.

@ibstubro Yes.

I have similar to this one, @kritiper, but it’s just an under-the-counter radio and no way to attach the antenna.

@ibstubro You may have to open the unit up, locate the internal antenna, and make a connection.