[DonRotolo]

Try a half-wave counterpoise: If your antenna goes 38" in one direction, connect a wire to Ground (right where it first hits the board) and run it 38" in the the other direction. The best signal will be at a right angle to that "dipole".

It's cheap and quick, and could double your signal strength or better.

But try what Al said: If you can't get stereo from 6" away, there's a fault. I have built $25 FM kits which worked at 150 feet, no problem.