Back...sort of...

[SparkyCal]

Well, I'm back...sort of...

I am still not pursuing electronic projects and circuits for the time being. However, I probably will have household type electronics questions along the way, and what better place to ask, than here.

I have a very old Phillips antique radio that my dad passed down to me. It still works and sounds amazingly good. The back of it says the following:

Patented 1940-1956
Phillips
Type P145
Phillips Industries LTD.
Toronto-Canada Volts 117. Cyc. 25/60 Amps 0.47

(see pic of front of radio)

It is a multi band radio and if you look at the display on the radio, you will see the various band numbers etc.

I am trying to find an appropriate indoor antenna so that I could get more reception. Right now, I cobbled together an antenna from a stereo I had. I can only get a handful of stations. With the proper antenna, I am sure I can get many more.

Does anyone has a recommendation as to an indoor antenna I can purchase? I know nothing about antique multi band radios.

Thank-you.

 

[bertus]

Hello,

You coudl try to make an active antanna like on this page:
http://www.tonyvanroon.com/oldwebsite/circ/activant.html

You can use the jfet you already have.

A long time ago I made an active antenna for the SW reciever with an old chip I had laying around:



Bertus

 

[Audioguru]

I guess the old radio uses vacuum tubes that wear out and are obsolete.
Shortwave has a restricted high audio frequency range (sounds muffled) like an AM radio and picks up static and other Amplitude noises.
Some ham radio operators might be operating in your neighbourhood and cause the antenna preamp circuits shown to be extremely overloaded. The length of the antenna depends on the radio frequency and distance.

 

[Harald Kapp]

First thing to try before you spend money: use a loooong wire. And connect the earth terminal of the radio (my old Philips used to have a dedicated earth terminal next to the antenna input, unfortunately it went broke long ago ).

 

[SparkyCal]

Hi...I got lucky an I found an antenna wire in my junk. I hooked both ends of the wire up to the Antenna screw. It now gets me almost all of the AM stations- which is great. I don't get many other stations on the other bands though. Thanks for the links and diagrams. I may try making one of those.

Next to the Antenna screw on the back, there is another screw that says "G". I guess that is the ground screw. Am I supposed to hook that up to something? Problem is, the radio is in my basement and there are not many things to run wires to. I have an electrical outlet nearby, and a light fixture but I don't suppose they are of any use?

 

[bertus]

Hello,

Is there a CV radiator in basement?
If so does it have metal pipes?
if so, then you can use that as ground.

On the amplifiers I showed the signal goes to the antenna input of the radio and the - of the battery goes to the ground connection.
The antenna can be a rod of 30 to 60 cm.

Bertus

 

[Audioguru]

If your electrical outlets are fairly modern with 2 terminals for power plus a third terminal for ground then the screw that holds the cover plate on a metal electrical box is grounded.

 

[SparkyCal]

Thanks...will give that a try