Batteries were getting weak in the Sangean I use to check zero-beat on my part 15.
New batteries, then it wouldn't power up. Found corroded wire at neg battery clip terminal where a leaking AA battery for the CMOS and keypad had damaged the wire, and in changing batteries it was enough disturbance to break the connection.
OK, so I'm looking at that (on the rear cover) and I see a rat's nest of wires on the chassis side.
The ferrite rod was broken in 3 pieces, and the winding was uncoiling and getting all over!
Didn't have have another laying around, so I figured I've got nothing to lose by rewinding and super-glueing the ferrite.
I didn't do a perfect solenoid winding, and wondered how much ferrite can couple if broken and glued back into proximity.
I suspected the change in inductance would decrease the sensitivity.
It works just fine, and even dx signals seem to be right up where they should be.
Now I wonder how it broke, how long it's been broken, and if anyone else has ever tried this cheap and dirty repair.
I've never seen such a break before, and I don't think I've ever opened the case since I bought it 20 years ago.
Anyone else ever seen ferrite bars break "for no apparent reason"?
They are quite brittle, but both ends were still in the holders. Maybe this radio got dropped and I didn't hear about it.
New batteries, then it wouldn't power up. Found corroded wire at neg battery clip terminal where a leaking AA battery for the CMOS and keypad had damaged the wire, and in changing batteries it was enough disturbance to break the connection.
OK, so I'm looking at that (on the rear cover) and I see a rat's nest of wires on the chassis side.
The ferrite rod was broken in 3 pieces, and the winding was uncoiling and getting all over!
Didn't have have another laying around, so I figured I've got nothing to lose by rewinding and super-glueing the ferrite.
I didn't do a perfect solenoid winding, and wondered how much ferrite can couple if broken and glued back into proximity.
I suspected the change in inductance would decrease the sensitivity.
It works just fine, and even dx signals seem to be right up where they should be.
Now I wonder how it broke, how long it's been broken, and if anyone else has ever tried this cheap and dirty repair.
I've never seen such a break before, and I don't think I've ever opened the case since I bought it 20 years ago.
Anyone else ever seen ferrite bars break "for no apparent reason"?
They are quite brittle, but both ends were still in the holders. Maybe this radio got dropped and I didn't hear about it.