Is it possible to boost my reception on my car radio?
Car aerial
- Thread starter eckersleymark
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Park on a hill.
Andy
Andy
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Yes, back in the day some of the AM pirate stations where a bit hit and miss. But usually if you have a Phase Lock Loop (PLL) head unit, they are pretty good for most FM stations.
What are you trying to pull in?
Plenty of free downloads here, tie you over till you get sorted
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What are you trying to pull in?
Plenty of free downloads here, tie you over till you get sorted
https://soundcloud.com/annie-mac-presents
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I think the adjustment screw is only on LW/MW radios, VHF should have the aerial matched to the frequency. The problem with a lot of modern cars is the short aerial they have, its matched to the radio by a winding around it but its not as good as the old 1/4 wave whips which were about 18" long.
Many are mounted at the rear of the car which causes loss in the long cable, an aerial amplifier really needs to be mounted as near the aerial as possible to amplify the signal at its strongest, the loss doesn't matter so much then.
First check that your aerial base doesn't have water in it, this is the favourite cause of poor signal.
Peter
Many are mounted at the rear of the car which causes loss in the long cable, an aerial amplifier really needs to be mounted as near the aerial as possible to amplify the signal at its strongest, the loss doesn't matter so much then.
First check that your aerial base doesn't have water in it, this is the favourite cause of poor signal.
Peter
I used to repair car radios (plus TV & Video) in a previous life and agree with Peter there about aerial adjustment. In early days the aerial cable capacitance formed part of the tuning arrangement hence the reason any extension cable has a series capacitor to cancel out the capacitance of the extension cable.
Latest technology uses different circuitry in the tuning area. As Peter said only used on MW/LW never VHF.
Any aerial amplifier must always be fitted as near the signal source as possible. Was always surprised when people installed TV aerial amp at side of TV in fringe areas. You need to amplify every bit of available signal before it suffers any losses in the existing cable.
Latest technology uses different circuitry in the tuning area. As Peter said only used on MW/LW never VHF.
Any aerial amplifier must always be fitted as near the signal source as possible. Was always surprised when people installed TV aerial amp at side of TV in fringe areas. You need to amplify every bit of available signal before it suffers any losses in the existing cable.
Wow, someone as ancient as myself.
Line dropper cords, now there was a fun idea. Wonder how they would go down with today's elf fanatics.
Line dropper cords, now there was a fun idea. Wonder how they would go down with today's elf fanatics.
Come on Jack - ancient!! 'mature' would have sounded better. My kids sometimes refer to me as an 'old fa**'
Line cords - blimey that takes me back and valves!!!
Found this http://www.vcomp.co.uk/tech_tips/ballast/ballast_tubes.htm
Peter remember the old valved car radios with a vibrator in the power supply?
Line cords - blimey that takes me back and valves!!!
Found this http://www.vcomp.co.uk/tech_tips/ballast/ballast_tubes.htm
Peter remember the old valved car radios with a vibrator in the power supply?
How to boost 12v to 240v
The music was inaudible, courtesy of the buzz
What was the heater voltage on these things?
John
The music was inaudible, courtesy of the buzz
What was the heater voltage on these things?
John
Six volts usually John, they were connected in series parallel. I remember a 12 volt powered TV for 'portable' use, an Ekco TMB something, it took so much current that the car dynamo could only just about keep up with it.
We had reels of linecord in stock for all the different currents, 0.1 amp, 0.15 amp and 0.3 amp. Lots of American imports about in the '50s
They were that days .
Peter
We had reels of linecord in stock for all the different currents, 0.1 amp, 0.15 amp and 0.3 amp. Lots of American imports about in the '50s
They were that days
.Peter
TMB272 rings a bell Peter.
Also remember having sets to repair where customers had replaced resistive line cord with standard!
Can also remember the then alternative to the modern 13A plug designed and made by Wylex. Earth pin in centre with two pins either side, size of which was dependant on max its current capacity.
Also remember having sets to repair where customers had replaced resistive line cord with standard!
Can also remember the then alternative to the modern 13A plug designed and made by Wylex. Earth pin in centre with two pins either side, size of which was dependant on max its current capacity.
Happy days
Barreters and the multi-step dropper resistors that were used on TVs. Pity the chap who got his line and neutral crossed over when he went to lift the chassis.
The smell of burning bakelite is one of those smells you never forget.
"Portable" radios with the great hulking 120volt battery packs and the 9volt grid bias battery.
Barreters and the multi-step dropper resistors that were used on TVs. Pity the chap who got his line and neutral crossed over when he went to lift the chassis.
The smell of burning bakelite is one of those smells you never forget.
"Portable" radios with the great hulking 120volt battery packs and the 9volt grid bias battery.
The memories come flooding back.
TMB272 that was it, I took one in our caravan when we were on honeymoon.
We had a weird assortment of plugs in Petts Wood where I used to live and work, including the Wylex type and a whole new estate fitted with 13A round pin plugs, the live pin unscrewed and was the fuse.
The days when people used to repair their own radios and TVs on the kitchen table.
In the shed at the back of the shop I found an AC/DC radiogram, it had a valved inverter for the induction motor.
Peter
TMB272 that was it, I took one in our caravan when we were on honeymoon.
We had a weird assortment of plugs in Petts Wood where I used to live and work, including the Wylex type and a whole new estate fitted with 13A round pin plugs, the live pin unscrewed and was the fuse.
The days when people used to repair their own radios and TVs on the kitchen table.
In the shed at the back of the shop I found an AC/DC radiogram, it had a valved inverter for the induction motor.
Peter
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