Radio Aerial thingy

[richardcox_lotus]

OK Guys/Gals,

There have been lots of threads re Radios recently, but this is a good'un.

I'm currently looking to swap over the old (non-functioning) Turnlock radio from my Elan, & I see that the ariel lead at the radio end seems to have something on it, coming from the inner part of the co-axial cable.

So,
1) What is it ?
2) What does it do ?
3) Will there be any issue if I trim the cable to allow me to put a standard Arial connection on it ?

I will ultimately get the Turnlock radio repaired / upgraded to get FM & MP3. Will the removal of this end part prevent me from using the Turnlock again ?

[SADLOTUS]

Hi Richard, I assume the pic is of the ariel lead coming out of the radio. If so, when you get the radio upgraded the lead should look like the arrowed bit in the pic attached.
Looks like the end has been ripped off.

Btw, who/how will you upgrade the radio?
Guts out stereo FM reciever, amp and iPod lead?

[richardcox_lotus]

Hi Paul

No, it's the end FROM the Aerial TO the radio - the end that plugs INTO the Radio. I expected it to look like this.......

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Mod ... r%20Aerial

but instead it's got this strange device on the end. I'm happy to trim the lead & fit a normal plug, but I'd like to know what this 'wotsit' is first.....

There's various people down Bristol way (Wireless Services, etc) - I haven't decided who yet.

Need a respray 1st !! (How's yours coming along ?)

[SADLOTUS]

Richard,
Difficult to see what the little yellow maggot thing on the end is.... a resistor/diode thing or just a lump of glue/solder?
I don't remember anything like that on any of my ariel leads. Maybe it's part of an interference kit??

Collect the car Tuesday!!! WOOHOO!!!

I'll post a pic.

[richardcox_lotus]

Yeah, some form of resistor/diode (Why...what's it for...etc.

Will you be at the club meet on Wed ?

[surveyor]

Hi Richard,
This looks like a miniature polystyrene capacitor. They have a silvered body with plastic ends where the leads emerge. It should be marked with a number and letters "pf" (pico-farads). Maybe also a working voltage number.

My guess is that either the aerial manufacturer - or a previous owner - has included this to tune the aerial inductance for improved reception or, more likely, to peak reception at a particular tuned frequency. Older radios often used to have a small hole somewhere on the front panel where you inserted a screwdriver to turn a miniature trimmer capacitor to peak the signal reception. This looks like a similar idea, but never seen this before.

A modern radio shouldn't need this. Impact on your old Turnolock - you'll probably notice degraded reception at whatever the tuned frequency was, but if you're going to an FM upgrade anyway then probably no worries.

dennis

[Robbie693]

It should have a jack connector on the end of the aerial lead, that plugs in the the back of the radio. Looks like yours is missing and what you see is what goes inside the connector.

[richardcox_lotus]

Hi Robbie

Yeah, I thought that too. So I got a new jack connector, but the cable with this end on just doesn't seem to fit inside ( And I don't wnat to squash it). Hey-ho, it's hardly the end of the world. Time to start a new thread on exhaust leaks & Backfiring instead.....

[mikealdren]

Richard,
My +2 used to backfire when I had a hole in the manifold. I always assumed that the valve timing was critical enough that the lack of back pressure resulted in the backfire.

Exhaust sealed, problem fixed.

Mike