Apologies in advance but this seems like a real dumb question.
I have cable TV and with it cable FM radio in my home.
I listen to FM radio on my home stereo unit with the FM coax radio signal
plugged in the back!
Perfect reception.
Now, I am the proud new owner of a kitchen type portable FM radio receiver.
But the portable has no aerial co-ax socket at the back - just rabbit ears.
Is there any way I can get quality FM reception on the portable using my
cable coax connection?
I am prepared to take the back off and do some soldering!!
In hope
Ger

On Sat, 11 Sep 2004 22:33:29 +0100, "Ger"
wrote:

Apologies in advance but this seems like a real dumb question.
I have cable TV and with it cable FM radio in my home.
I listen to FM radio on my home stereo unit with the FM coax radio signal
plugged in the back!
Perfect reception.
Now, I am the proud new owner of a kitchen type portable FM radio receiver.
But the portable has no aerial co-ax socket at the back - just rabbit ears.
Is there any way I can get quality FM reception on the portable using my
cable coax connection?
I am prepared to take the back off and do some soldering!!
In hope
Ger

Hi Ger,

Go to radioshack and get a 300 Ohm to 75 Ohm TV adapter. The 300 Ohm
side is with the free leads. Cut off the leads and replace with
alligator clips. Connect clips to FM antenna rabbit ears (I presume
you were literal with their being two) and connect a standard cable
between the adapter and a cable outlet.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

"Richard Clark" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 11 Sep 2004 22:33:29 +0100, "Ger"
wrote:

Apologies in advance but this seems like a real dumb question.
I have cable TV and with it cable FM radio in my home.
I listen to FM radio on my home stereo unit with the FM coax radio signal
plugged in the back!
Perfect reception.
Now, I am the proud new owner of a kitchen type portable FM radio
receiver.
But the portable has no aerial co-ax socket at the back - just rabbit
ears.
Is there any way I can get quality FM reception on the portable using my
cable coax connection?
I am prepared to take the back off and do some soldering!!
In hope
Ger

Hi Ger,

Go to radioshack and get a 300 Ohm to 75 Ohm TV adapter. The 300 Ohm
side is with the free leads. Cut off the leads and replace with
alligator clips. Connect clips to FM antenna rabbit ears (I presume
you were literal with their being two) and connect a standard cable
between the adapter and a cable outlet.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

Hi Richard,
In the case where the aerial is just one extending 'pole', what do I do?
(I have two portable radios -one with a telescopic pole and the other with
dual ears))
Many thanks for your help
Ger

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

On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 12:00:30 +0100, "Ger"
wrote:
In the case where the aerial is just one extending 'pole', what do I do?

Hi Ger,

Go to radioshack and get a 300 Ohm to 75 Ohm TV adapter. The 300 Ohm
side is with the free leads. Cut off the leads and with extra wire
connect the ends together in a large loop (about 1 meter around). Put
receiver inside middle of loop.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

"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

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

"Howard" wrote in message
...
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

Howard, that's just great - many, many thanks.

Ger