radio aerial (antenna) won't stay in position

[john zeiss]

We have a small portable sony radio, and it has the usual type of
extendable aerial (antenna) that you get on small japanese radios.

It now refuses to maintain its position at an *angle*. Slowly but surely
it drops down until it reaches the horizontal position.

The small screw has been tightened up, but even as tight as we think we can
do it without stripping the slots in the screw head, it is not enough to
*clamp* the aerial to stop it dropping down.

Basically the aerial at its base is a square shape with one small bronze
coloured washer each side of it and that all sits in a ' U ' shaped base
with it all being clamped with a small screw.

Are there any tricks you know of, to get it to behave? Thanks.

 

[Don Pearce]

On Wed, 4 Mar 2009 11:22:44 -0000, "john zeiss"
<bluestar@mail.invalid> wrote:

We have a small portable sony radio, and it has the usual type of
extendable aerial (antenna) that you get on small japanese radios.

It now refuses to maintain its position at an *angle*. Slowly but surely
it drops down until it reaches the horizontal position.

The small screw has been tightened up, but even as tight as we think we can
do it without stripping the slots in the screw head, it is not enough to
*clamp* the aerial to stop it dropping down.

Basically the aerial at its base is a square shape with one small bronze
coloured washer each side of it and that all sits in a ' U ' shaped base
with it all being clamped with a small screw.

Are there any tricks you know of, to get it to behave? Thanks.

Does this radio live in a kitchen? If so, you may want to unscrew it
from its base and degrease the two parts - I suspect cooking-based
lubrication.

d

 

[Whiskers]

On 2009-03-04, Don Pearce <spam@spam.com> wrote:

On Wed, 4 Mar 2009 11:22:44 -0000, "john zeiss"
bluestar@mail.invalid> wrote:

We have a small portable sony radio, and it has the usual type of
extendable aerial (antenna) that you get on small japanese radios.

It now refuses to maintain its position at an *angle*. Slowly but surely
it drops down until it reaches the horizontal position.

The small screw has been tightened up, but even as tight as we think we can
do it without stripping the slots in the screw head, it is not enough to
*clamp* the aerial to stop it dropping down.

Basically the aerial at its base is a square shape with one small bronze
coloured washer each side of it and that all sits in a ' U ' shaped base
with it all being clamped with a small screw.

Are there any tricks you know of, to get it to behave? Thanks.


Does this radio live in a kitchen? If so, you may want to unscrew it
from its base and degrease the two parts - I suspect cooking-based
lubrication.

d

If that doesn't work (and you manage not to lose the washers), there is
probably wear that needs 'taking up' - an old-fashioned hardware shop, or
an electrical/electronic repair shop, should be able to supply replacement
washers. A temporary make-shift shim using paper or aluminium foil
/might/ work.

I've seen replacement aerials on sale too, in case all else fails.

--
-- ^^^^^^^^^^
-- Whiskers
-- ~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Ron]

john zeiss wrote:

We have a small portable sony radio, and it has the usual type of
extendable aerial (antenna) that you get on small japanese radios.

It now refuses to maintain its position at an *angle*. Slowly but surely
it drops down until it reaches the horizontal position.

The small screw has been tightened up, but even as tight as we think we can
do it without stripping the slots in the screw head, it is not enough to
*clamp* the aerial to stop it dropping down.

Basically the aerial at its base is a square shape with one small bronze
coloured washer each side of it and that all sits in a ' U ' shaped base
with it all being clamped with a small screw.

Are there any tricks you know of, to get it to behave? Thanks.


Take the two washers out and restore the 'curl' in them by pressing them

over the shaft of a screwdriver.

 

[philo]

john zeiss wrote:

We have a small portable sony radio, and it has the usual type of
extendable aerial (antenna) that you get on small japanese radios.

It now refuses to maintain its position at an *angle*. Slowly but surely
it drops down until it reaches the horizontal position.

The small screw has been tightened up, but even as tight as we think we can
do it without stripping the slots in the screw head, it is not enough to
*clamp* the aerial to stop it dropping down.

Basically the aerial at its base is a square shape with one small bronze
coloured washer each side of it and that all sits in a ' U ' shaped base
with it all being clamped with a small screw.

Are there any tricks you know of, to get it to behave? Thanks.

If you are able to work carefully :

Remove the screw, then ...with a high-quality drill bit...
drill a hole all the way through...just slightly larger than the
original hole..

Then get a high-grade screw and nut...Use a Nylon Lock nut and you
should then be able to tighten the antenna enough so that it will no
longer tilt.

 

[Desk Rabbit]

john zeiss wrote:

We have a small portable sony radio, and it has the usual type of
extendable aerial (antenna) that you get on small japanese radios.

It now refuses to maintain its position at an *angle*. Slowly but surely
it drops down until it reaches the horizontal position.

The small screw has been tightened up, but even as tight as we think we can
do it without stripping the slots in the screw head, it is not enough to
*clamp* the aerial to stop it dropping down.

Basically the aerial at its base is a square shape with one small bronze
coloured washer each side of it and that all sits in a ' U ' shaped base
with it all being clamped with a small screw.

Are there any tricks you know of, to get it to behave? Thanks.

The washers are spring washers which provide a degree of tension so that
the screw doesn't need to be over tight and thus allows the movement.
Over tightening the screw will flatten the washers and ruin them. I'd
suggest seeking replacement washers or a new aerial which might be easier.

 

[DNA]

philo <philo@privacy.net> wrote:

john zeiss wrote:
We have a small portable sony radio, and it has the usual type of
extendable aerial (antenna) that you get on small japanese radios.

It now refuses to maintain its position at an *angle*. Slowly but
surely it drops down until it reaches the horizontal position.

The small screw has been tightened up, but even as tight as we think
we can do it without stripping the slots in the screw head, it is
not enough to *clamp* the aerial to stop it dropping down.

Basically the aerial at its base is a square shape with one small
bronze coloured washer each side of it and that all sits in a ' U '
shaped base with it all being clamped with a small screw.

Are there any tricks you know of, to get it to behave? Thanks.









If you are able to work carefully :

That's an understatement before I even read the next bit of your witches
brew.

Remove the screw, then ...with a high-quality drill bit...
drill a hole all the way through...just slightly larger than the
original hole..

You are kidding right? You know exactly how hard that would be to do. There
would be bearly enough meat on that as it is, let alone the chance of the
drill bit biting into what is there and breaking the union - he'd have to
resort to some metal to metal bonding glue and some duct tape by the end of
it all.

What were you thinking?

Then get a high-grade screw and nut...Use a Nylon Lock nut and you
should then be able to tighten the antenna enough so that it will no
longer tilt.

 

[dave]

john zeiss wrote:

We have a small portable sony radio, and it has the usual type of
extendable aerial (antenna) that you get on small japanese radios.

It now refuses to maintain its position at an *angle*. Slowly but surely
it drops down until it reaches the horizontal position.

The small screw has been tightened up, but even as tight as we think we can
do it without stripping the slots in the screw head, it is not enough to
*clamp* the aerial to stop it dropping down.

Basically the aerial at its base is a square shape with one small bronze
coloured washer each side of it and that all sits in a ' U ' shaped base
with it all being clamped with a small screw.

Are there any tricks you know of, to get it to behave? Thanks.



Buy a replacement antenna.

 

[Keyser Söze]

john zeiss <bluestar@mail.invalid> wrote in message
news:goloa7$bp4$1@news.motzarella.org:

We have a small portable sony radio, and it has the usual type of
extendable aerial (antenna) that you get on small japanese radios.

It now refuses to maintain its position at an *angle*. Slowly but
surely it drops down until it reaches the horizontal position.

The small screw has been tightened up, but even as tight as we think
we can do it without stripping the slots in the screw head, it is not
enough to *clamp* the aerial to stop it dropping down.

Basically the aerial at its base is a square shape with one small
bronze coloured washer each side of it and that all sits in a ' U '
shaped base with it all being clamped with a small screw.

Are there any tricks you know of, to get it to behave? Thanks.

Get some garden wire, the gauge you need to apply a bit of force to to get
it into the shape and position you want.

Then, place the wire through the mounting holes and the aerial (hook the
end) and simply wind the wire around the aerial until you've covered the
fitting and above - you could even wind the wire back down to double up on
strength and flexibility.

At least that way you are still able to adjust the aerial should you need
to - And if done well, it won't look too much like a ham-fisted job.

--
In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties,
nations, and epochs it is the rule. Nietzsche

 

[newshound]

Remove the screw, then ...with a high-quality drill bit...
drill a hole all the way through...just slightly larger than the
original hole..

You are kidding right?

I've done it myself. Seems a perfectly reasonably suggestion, provided you
have the right tools and some small nuts and bolts.

 

[Desk Rabbit]

philo wrote:

john zeiss wrote:
We have a small portable sony radio, and it has the usual type of
extendable aerial (antenna) that you get on small japanese radios.

It now refuses to maintain its position at an *angle*. Slowly but
surely
it drops down until it reaches the horizontal position.

The small screw has been tightened up, but even as tight as we think
we can
do it without stripping the slots in the screw head, it is not enough to
*clamp* the aerial to stop it dropping down.

Basically the aerial at its base is a square shape with one small bronze
coloured washer each side of it and that all sits in a ' U ' shaped base
with it all being clamped with a small screw.

Are there any tricks you know of, to get it to behave? Thanks.









If you are able to work carefully :

Remove the screw, then ...with a high-quality drill bit...
drill a hole all the way through...just slightly larger than the
original hole..

Then get a high-grade screw and nut...Use a Nylon Lock nut and you
should then be able to tighten the antenna enough so that it will no
longer tilt.

You might as well replace the aerial with a new one. They are so cheap
and the time taken to fit a new one would be exactly the same as it
would be to make a lash up repair.

 

[DNA]

newshound <newshound@fairadsl.co.uk> wrote:

Remove the screw, then ...with a high-quality drill bit...
drill a hole all the way through...just slightly larger than the
original hole..

You are kidding right?

I've done it myself. Seems a perfectly reasonably suggestion,
provided you have the right tools and some small nuts and bolts.

That the OP is posting for help on such a matter should indicate he is
unlikely to have the smarts to do that, and if he did, he'd probably drill
himself to death.

Personally, I don't know why he doesn't just get the welding kit out of the
shed and go at it with that.

 

[Ron]

DNA wrote:

newshound <newshound@fairadsl.co.uk> wrote:
Remove the screw, then ...with a high-quality drill bit...
drill a hole all the way through...just slightly larger than the
original hole..
You are kidding right?
I've done it myself. Seems a perfectly reasonably suggestion,
provided you have the right tools and some small nuts and bolts.

That the OP is posting for help on such a matter should indicate he is
unlikely to have the smarts to do that, and if he did, he'd probably drill
himself to death.

Personally, I don't know why he doesn't just get the welding kit out of the
shed and go at it with that.



Well, now you're just being silly!

he wants it to still be adjustable.



Ron

 

[DNA]

Ron <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com> wrote:

DNA wrote:
newshound <newshound@fairadsl.co.uk> wrote:
Remove the screw, then ...with a high-quality drill bit...
drill a hole all the way through...just slightly larger than the
original hole..
You are kidding right?
I've done it myself. Seems a perfectly reasonably suggestion,
provided you have the right tools and some small nuts and bolts.

That the OP is posting for help on such a matter should indicate he
is unlikely to have the smarts to do that, and if he did, he'd
probably drill himself to death.

Personally, I don't know why he doesn't just get the welding kit out
of the shed and go at it with that.



Well, now you're just being silly!

he wants it to still be adjustable.



Ron 98

Good 'flash' point! Perhaps he could ask his wife to flambé it with jelly,
but I wouldn't know where to start, other than to ask the question on some
newsgroup.

;->

 

[MTV]

john zeiss wrote:

We have a small portable sony radio, and it has the usual type of
extendable aerial (antenna) that you get on small japanese radios.

It now refuses to maintain its position at an *angle*. Slowly but surely
it drops down until it reaches the horizontal position.



Are there any tricks you know of, to get it to behave? Thanks.

Putty

 

[JIMMIE]

On Mar 4, 6:22 am, "john zeiss" <blues...@mail.invalid> wrote:

We have a small portable sony radio, and it has the usual type of
extendable aerial (antenna) that you get on small japanese radios.

It now refuses to maintain its position at an *angle*.   Slowly but surely
it drops down  until it reaches the horizontal position.

The small screw has been tightened up, but even as tight as we think we can
do it without stripping the slots in the screw head, it is not enough to
*clamp* the aerial to stop it dropping down.

Basically the aerial at its base is a square shape with one small bronze
coloured washer each side of it and that all sits in a ' U ' shaped base
with it all being clamped with a small screw.

Are there any tricks you know of,  to get it to behave?       Thanks.

I had one do this. It was caused by wear from folding and unfolding
the antenna. I think the problem started when the chrome plating was
worn off the base metal. About the only thing you can do short of
replacing the antenna s to shim it where it hindges. I used a piece of
brass shim stock I had on and. Most hobby shops carry it. There may be
worn hardware such as washers that can be replaced.

Jimmie

 

[Richard Crowley]

"DNA" wrote...

philo wrote:
If you are able to work carefully :

That's an understatement before I even read the next bit of your witches
brew.

Remove the screw, then ...with a high-quality drill bit...
drill a hole all the way through...just slightly larger than the
original hole..

You are kidding right? You know exactly how hard that would be to do.
There would be bearly enough meat on that as it is, let alone the chance
of the drill bit biting into what is there and breaking the union - he'd
have to resort to some metal to metal bonding glue and some duct tape by
the end of it all.

What were you thinking?

I've done exactly this repair myself (to more than one radio).
This is a proven and practical repair technique. Dunno what
"DNA" is thinking?

 

[Richard Crowley]

"Desk Rabbit" wrote ...

You might as well replace the aerial with a new one. They are so cheap and
the time taken to fit a new one would be exactly the same as it would be
to make a lash up repair.

That would be a practical response *IF* one could find an exact
replacement. Alas, there are thousands of different varieties of these
things, and they tend to be custom-designed for each model. Even
if there were exact replacements in a warehouse somewhere in
central Asia, finding one and getting it shipped to you would be
far less pratical than just tossing the radio and buying a new one.

 

[tony sayer]

In article <gom3nk$e4n$1@news.motzarella.org>, DNA
<wattdoinow@nuffink.invalid> scribeth thus

newshound <newshound@fairadsl.co.uk> wrote:
Remove the screw, then ...with a high-quality drill bit...
drill a hole all the way through...just slightly larger than the
original hole..

You are kidding right?

I've done it myself. Seems a perfectly reasonably suggestion,
provided you have the right tools and some small nuts and bolts.

That the OP is posting for help on such a matter should indicate he is
unlikely to have the smarts to do that, and if he did, he'd probably drill
himself to death.

Personally, I don't know why he doesn't just get the welding kit out of the
shed and go at it with that.

Can't you just bodge it with a bit of sticky tape around it to hold it
upright ... or more upright;?..
--
Tony Sayer

 

[Don Pearce]

On Wed, 4 Mar 2009 09:03:09 -0800, "Richard Crowley"
<rcrowley@xp7rt.net> wrote:

"Desk Rabbit" wrote ...
You might as well replace the aerial with a new one. They are so cheap and
the time taken to fit a new one would be exactly the same as it would be
to make a lash up repair.

That would be a practical response *IF* one could find an exact
replacement. Alas, there are thousands of different varieties of these
things, and they tend to be custom-designed for each model. Even
if there were exact replacements in a warehouse somewhere in
central Asia, finding one and getting it shipped to you would be
far less pratical than just tossing the radio and buying a new one.

I can see this ending up with a wire coat hanger ;-)

d