[Speakersrock]

Hi there,
My Garndma has moved recently, and at her new place she cannot get her portable radio tuned into any station, on any frequency or wave length. (Primarily FM)

I tired the radio here (usually get a pretty good reception of most national and local stations.)

However I am only getting the really, really high powered stations here, and French and German stations on short wave.

I am thinking maybe something was damaged if it was dropped or something in the move?

Any Ideas please?

[kiwiguy]

Sounds like it's got a problem alright, probably in the band change mechanism. These days with the ridiculously low price of radios, repair (if possible) may be the more expensive option.

[Speakersrock]

mm, thanks for that info.

Just thought I would say though, I got it back working the other day through leaving it on a radiator for a while!

It was on a kitchen work top above a kettle (). Looks like it had simply just got damp and causing major frequency drift and stuff.

Thanks again for your advise though!

[kiwiguy]

Possibly a build-up of dust in the band change switch, which then became conductive when damp.

[Speakersrock]

humm, yes, probarbly.

Well, I have to confess!. Last night I heard that it still isn't working down my Grandma's!
I will take another radio down to check I really sn't a black spot, other that that, maybe your original sugestion is right!

Many Thanks.

[hewee]

Also just may need a better antenna.

[Speakersrock]

humm, thats a good point. You mean, just, like, longer? or what?

[hewee]

Well you know it has to have a antenna to pickup anything. But they can be builded in or just a small T wire for FM you hook up. But if you get one to hook up to that is outside then it should pick up a whole lot better and more miles away stations you can also get. There are types of antenna's and so are better then others.

[Speakersrock]

Ohh good idea!.
It is a screw on rod one.
There is actually an FM point by the TV in the place, is there a way of plugging in to the FM, to the radio where the rod screws in?

[hewee]

Originally Posted by Speakersrock

Ohh good idea!.
It is a screw on rod one.
There is actually an FM point by the TV in the place, is there a way of plugging in to the FM, to the radio where the rod screws in?

Don't know but there may be another place on the radio to hook the antenna too.

Go here to this site and see if the have a manual or go to the site of who ever made the radio and see if they have a manual.
http://www.usersmanualguide.com/

[Speakersrock]

Originally Posted by hewee

Don't know but there may be another place on the radio to hook the antenna too.

Go here to this site and see if the have a manual or go to the site of who ever made the radio and see if they have a manual.
http://www.usersmanualguide.com/

Ok, thanks for all the help. I guess I need to wait until I get another similar radio down there to test the signal. If thats does gets lots of signals, I'll use that site.
Thanks..and watch this space!

[hewee]

Your welcome. I live way up north in the redwoods years ago and the signal was bad for everything so you need a outside antenna and the bigger the better because you want to get one that picks up far away too. Then another thing is having a Antenna Rotator may help so you can point the Antenna to each station for best signal.
Plus now days there are many types of Antenna's.
http://www.radioshack.com/uc/index.j..._antennas.html

So if you got a place like RadioShack to go to you can talk to them and tel them your trouble and they should be able to help you out and tell you what all options you have.

[Speakersrock]

Ok, thanks, I will bear that in mind.
Will hopefully get around to taking a radio down there this weekend...that will clarify things!

[hewee]

Yep no way of really knowing what is going on till you look it over.

[Speakersrock]

Ok, well I have the radio back here now.
Its picking up every station so i guess it must just be a dead pot there.

There is no Plug for the FM wall socket at my Grandma's so I have been looking on radio shack for a connector lead from the coaxal wall output to where the radio's antanie is screwed on (Its one of them rod ones)

I have had no succsess with this though unfortunatly. Coudl I just use a coaxal able, and one end wrap the copper around the rod arial cnnection on the radio? (sorry, I don't understand much about this.!)

Any help would really be much apreciated, Thanks.