I have an after market radio with casset player in my '61. The casset player works great, no problems. I even get one am station crystal clear. As for the other stations, I get nothing. If you turn the volume up all the way you can barrly hear somthing. When I closed the door with the radio on, the stations finaly came in loud and clear. But as soon as I closed the door again the radio went out. I figured something is loose. I cleaned and tightened the ground straps, took apart the antenna checked and put back together making sure all connections were tight. Checked behind the dash, everthing looks good, but it still doesn't work. Any ideas?
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Re: radio
These symptoms are typical of a damaged antenna lead-in cable whose human hair thin center conductor has fractured and is open circuit... Sometimes if vibration is 'just right' the fractured lead wire ends within the cable sheath touch and you've got continuity. AM reception is VERY sensitive to antenna integrity while FM reception, in a major metro area, is much more fault tolerant.
Damage to the lead-in wire is often the result of restoring the car's interior where carpet is ripped out/removed and the lead-in wire is bent/twisted in the process. Confirming the diagnosis is actually quite simple!
Go down to Walmart and purchase an el cheapo replacement antenna with captive lead wire (about $8). Disconnect the existing lead wire's bananna plug from the radio and connect the replacement antenna. If all of a sudden you stations galore (the more the better when you walk the antenna outside the cockpit toward the rear of the car to mimic the original antenna position), you know where your problem is! -
Re: radio
Jack, I took your advice and went out and bought a cheap replacement antenna. When I tried the new antenna I got slightly better reception, but the stations were still low and staticy.Comment
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Re: radio
Are you in a major metro area or out in the boondocks? If you're in a major metro area and you had a broken lead-in wire to your antenna, connecting the el cheapo replacement antenna should have made a DAY & NIGHT difference! Per your report it didn't, so we can conclude the lead wire isn't your problem.
If you're really in a fringe reception area, then adjusting the radio's variable capacitor to 'tweak' the chassis to match the specific impedance of your antenna can make a difference. If that doesn't rememdy the problem, it's time to pull the radio chassis and have a bench tech go through 'er guts.
Since shock/vibration can create a temporary cure, I'd be looking for a broken or lifted etch trace on the main PC board in the area of the 1st signal amplifier stage...Comment
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