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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Radio grief!

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Discussion Topic: Radio grief!

flatheadfan

11-02-2012 @ 7:43 AM

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If you visted Fordbarn you probably read this. I haven't received any help as of yet. I still have the problem maybe, some help can be found here!

One common thing working on old cars is the wierd things that happen. The other night I was installing a radio in a '36. It is an open car with the antenna under the runniing board. Once the radio was installed I turned it on and the reception was poor, at best. I set my trouble light on the transmission tower and suddenly the radio's reception improved. I lifted the light off the tower and the poor reception returned. It appears that the light (and its' cord), were working as an antenna without being attached to the radio. In fact, the antenna lead to the radio is no where near the trans tower. My question is this, do I have a grounding problem, if so do I need a body to frame ground?

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks

Tom

keith oh

11-02-2012 @ 8:20 AM

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The more grounds the better,especially form frame to engine and every connection clean with bare metal showing. I think Di-electric grease on connections is a good move to keep the good connections.

supereal

11-02-2012 @ 9:40 AM

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The antennas under the running boards are notorious for poor reception due to the shielding effect of the metal. If you are sure that all connections are good, as Keith suggests, look for a small screw near the anntenna socket on the radio, or behind the tuning knob. This is a "trimmer" that matches the antenna with the radio's tuner. Tune in a distant station, and move the trimmer one way and the other until the signal improves. If that doesn't seem to help, substitute either a regular antenna, or a long piece of wire for the original to be sure it is, in fact, and antenna problem. I've worked on many old radios and found that weak or inoperative vibrators, dried out capacitors, and dirty controls can often be at fault. Just don't bother the screws in the top of the metal cans on the chassis. They can't be adjusted without the proper tools, such as signal generator.

51f1

11-03-2012 @ 4:01 AM

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When you use the trimmer, adjust the radio to a weak station at the high end of the dial.

Richard

trjford8

11-03-2012 @ 10:01 AM

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I have put modern radios in old cars and used the under running board installation using an over the counter antenna. I found that FM reception was good and AM reception poor. Make sure that the antenna mast is not touching any metal. I think the location of the antenna is most of the problem.

supereal

11-03-2012 @ 10:45 AM

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The best solution is to have the original radio converted to AM/FM. I did this with the "wonder bar" radio in my '47, and now enjoy clear reception on the FM band instead of the obnoxious talk and bad music on AM. The radio still looks original, but the usual spark plug noise and other static is gone.

fenbach

11-07-2012 @ 4:00 PM

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any chance the trouble light has a florescent bulb?

bigvince

11-14-2012 @ 1:02 PM

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Who did the conversion? I sent my radio out twice and was disappointed twice. Finally just started singing to myself. Oh yes...car is a 48 Woodie. Would that contribute to miserable reception? Antenna is hooked up right.

supereal

11-14-2012 @ 1:45 PM

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There a such services advertised in the V8 TIMES. I had mine done many years ago by a service in Maine. I don't see their ads anymore, so he may have retired. I found one in my index, www.turnswitch.com in Minnesota.

TomO

11-16-2012 @ 12:58 PM

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Poor reception is usually incorrect antenna installation. The antenna cable has a shield that must be grounded at both ends. The center conductor must not be grounded.

Use an ohm meter to check the shield to ground at the antenna end by connecting the meter between a good ground and the shield at the radio end, with the cable disconnected from the radio. The reading should be 0 ohms. Check at the radio end by reading between the radio chassis and a good ground with the antenna cable disconnected from the radio.

Then the radio antenna trimmer must be adjusted for your antenna.

Tom

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