On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 18:24:05 +0100, "Ger"
wrote:


"Doc" wrote in message
...
Ger,
You should be able to add an external antenna to your new radio
but don't expect 'perfect' reception of other than local stations. I'm
afraid reception would never be as good as on the 'cable', but that
doesn't mean it won't/can't be pretty good. A 'closed circuit' system
like the cable will always be 'better' than broadcast reception.
'Doc


Thanks Doc, but don't you miss my point?
I *don't* want to use an external antenna - I want to use the co-ax cable
input.
There are channels on the cable which I can never receive with an external
aerial.
Ger

Ger,
If you don't mind some disassembly & soldering there is a good way to
deal with this. I did this 'mod' to a friends portable stereo so he
could use a coax-fed external antenna at his cabin. You'll need a
bulkhead F connector (available at Ratshack) and a small stretch
RG-174 coax (you could just use 'plain wire' if you don't have some of
the coax laying around), a drill and a soldering iron. Open the radio
and find where the whip connects to the circuit board - typically
there is a short stretch of hookup wire from the whip to the board.
Then unsolder the hookup wire from the board. Next, find an open area
on the radio cabinet and drill a hole & mount the bulkhead F
connector. Strip each end of the coax and solder the center conductor
where you unsoldered the whip, then solder the shield/braid to a
ground trace on the board. At the other end of the coax solder the
center conductor to the center pin and the shield/braid to the 'shell'
side of the connector. Reassemble and your'e done. If you want to
get fancy, you can also install a switch so you can choose between the
whip and an external antenna.

Hope this is helpful,
Howard