Help with Astrosonix radio

[Nanonevol]

So I hooked up an external powered flat antenna like DieselSpider's picture, but sadly can only get static and a couple very very very faint stations. I am in an urban area and pick up dozens of stations normally.

Any chance something inside the radio has stopped working? AM reception is 10x louder than FM, but no stations come in clearly

That's too bad! I would say there is a good chance something's broke given the vintage. Maybe there is a radio hobbyist nearby that could help.

[DieselSpider]

Does that model have a Local/Distant or DX button? Change the position as one setting is to filter out weaker stations in areas where there are a lot of distant stations interfering with the local ones.

I just dug out mine which I have in a box on a shelf and its the AM/FM Stereo model and has a few additional wires in the harness.

[spider2081]

Generally speaking the amount of static an AM radio produces when not receiving a station is a reflection of how sensitive the radio receiver actually is. The static is actually electrical noise the radio is receiving. Although the radio itself could be making the noise most generally it is receiving the noise from the atmosphere. If you are saying the radio is able to produce loud crisp static but not a radio station I would try a different antenna. Even something as simple as a coat hanger should pick up a few AM stations.

Beware of modern florescent lights even CF can generate so much local noise it will desensitize an AM receiver. Are you checking the radio out side and clear of florescent lights??
How are you getting the 12 volts to power the radio is it from a battery?