Michael Coslo
March 4th 09, 06:04 PM
Richard Crowley 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.
>
> 1) Remove the screw and drill out the threads. Replace with an
> appropriate size screw, washer, and nut. Or use a smaller screw
> and you don't have to drill out the existing threads.
>
> 2) If the radio is used in a fixed position, get a cliplead (piece of wire
> with an alligator clip on the end) and clip it onto the (collapsed) radio
> antenna. You could attach the wire to the furniture/cabinet to reduce
> its visible impact.
>
> IME, it is not practical to try to find an exact mechanical replacement
> because those assemblies tend to be custom designs for each model
> of radio equipment.
Another trick, depending on how the swivel is constructed, would be to
take a hammer and smash the radio to bits...... hold on, too much coffee
this morning.
Take that hammer, and maybe a nail, brace the swivel against a solid
object, and tap the other side until the swivel stiffens up a bit. It's
a temporary improvement, as the swivel will loosen again over time, but
if it's loosened anyhow, it doesn't make much difference.
- 73 de Mike N3LI -
> "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.
>
> 1) Remove the screw and drill out the threads. Replace with an
> appropriate size screw, washer, and nut. Or use a smaller screw
> and you don't have to drill out the existing threads.
>
> 2) If the radio is used in a fixed position, get a cliplead (piece of wire
> with an alligator clip on the end) and clip it onto the (collapsed) radio
> antenna. You could attach the wire to the furniture/cabinet to reduce
> its visible impact.
>
> IME, it is not practical to try to find an exact mechanical replacement
> because those assemblies tend to be custom designs for each model
> of radio equipment.
Another trick, depending on how the swivel is constructed, would be to
take a hammer and smash the radio to bits...... hold on, too much coffee
this morning.
Take that hammer, and maybe a nail, brace the swivel against a solid
object, and tap the other side until the swivel stiffens up a bit. It's
a temporary improvement, as the swivel will loosen again over time, but
if it's loosened anyhow, it doesn't make much difference.
- 73 de Mike N3LI -