radio aerial (antenna) won't stay in position

ely

an

nks.

I had one do this. It was caused by wear from folding and unfolding the antenna. I think the problem started when the chrome plating was worn off the base metal. About the only thing you can do short of replacing the antenna s to shim it where it hindges. I used a piece of brass shim stock I had on and. Most hobby shops carry it. There may be worn hardware such as washers that can be replaced.

Jimmie

Dose it up with some Loctite thread locker.

Easy Peasy.

-- "I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.... The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home."

-James Madison

I've never seen such a set of ludicrous and impractical suggestions. The solution is simple. Go to a birthday party and obtain one or more gas-filled balloons. Attach a balloon to the tip of the aerial. This will hold it up, and will also look nice. Bill

The problem is with the small brass washers. They've worn down over time and are not as thick as they used to be. Also, they've been polished to slickness by all the moving. Find replacements or at least rough them up a bit, and squeeze the fitting a bit as other respondents have suggested.

jak

can

It used to be OK, right? What may have changed is that the mating pieces have been polished by repeated movement and they are now quite slick and smooth.

If so, you take them apart and rough up the mating surfaces. This restores what one of my witty friends called "stiction," a combination of "sticky" and "friction."

I have some dental picks that I might use for scratching the smooth surfaces to restore the lost stiction. A large sewing needle or the tip of a steak knife could work, too. Sandpaper wrapped around the tip of a nail file? An Emory board?

Nooooo silly suggestion, you`ll have Elf and Safety down on you before you can say Jack Robinson, and the Greenie environmental lot chewing you out for using latex balloons.

What were you thnking!

Ron

I agree Ron. I've never seen so much nonsense spouted about what is fundamentally a simple problem, which those of us in the trade see all the time, and have posted back here how to fix with a minimum of fuss and tools - certainly not including drills ... !

Arfa

This is the 'correct' fix for the problem - I have had to do it many times to radios which have crossed my bench, and are similarly afflicted. If you want to 'belt and braces' it, you can remove the antenna and the curl washers from the yoke part that stays in the radio, and then treat the yoke to a *gentle* squeeze with a pair of Mole grips. FWIW, the screw can go up quite tight without breaking or stripping threads. Also, if you prefer to work on it not attached to the radio, the connection inside is usually made by a fixed strap, so you can simply undo the screw just below the antenna base, remove it completely, and then lift the complete antenna out of its mounting hole.

Arfa

Arfa Daily Inscribed thus:

A simple paper washer probably is all it would take !

What about latex condoms? Thought the Greenie lot approved of birth control

Owain

Nah a condom wouldn't help, even full of helium. Just needs a bit of fettling, or a new aerial.

Rn

The offshore radio station laser tried that in the 80's and gave up after the exposure to the winds over the North Sea quickly removed them . An apocryphal story tells that one ballon ended up around a traffic bollard in Colchester.

G.Harman

Michael might not understand that one. He's in sunny Florida ... d;~}

Arfa

Since when?

Since I got it wrong. Mea culpa (or my bad as we are US). 2 bits is indeed an old colloquial expression for a quarter. I'll get my coat....

In message , Bob Mannix writes

An infrequent visitor to the USA is often initially confused by the fact that the 5c coin is LARGER than the 10c.

For me, the problem was solved by a hotel receptionist, while checking in. She said "Remember that it takes two big ones to make a little one." This piece of excellent advice has stood me in good stead on many occasions since.

Stop that man, he's stealing my coat! ;-)

He can always 'turn' to goog'e :^)