[mikethedruid]

Might I suggest, before you get too concerned about this particular radio's noise problem, that you try a couple of things. First, try a regular, cheap transistor radio in the same locations and see if it too has noise problems. If it does, even to a different degree, you can surmise that the problem is NOT the radio, but some source of this interference in or around your home. Second, to double check, try this same experiment at the home of a friend where the transistor radio does not have interference sound. Then try the radio you have been talking about with about 10 feet of wire for an antenna. See if it has the interference there.
There is a set of very high tension TVA power lines, 240,000 volts, that ruins over my pasture only about 150 feet from the corner of my home. I have terrible 60 cycle hash from it. I made a vertically oriented antenna to use with my antique sets. It not only is omni-directional, but, since it is oriented at 90 degrees from the power lines, it minimizes the interference which it picks up. It actually works pretty well, and allows me to enjoy listening to my radios.