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what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

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micky

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Feb 19, 2019, 6:58:37 PM2/19/19
to
what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

I have radios that I tune and after they play a while the tuning needs
to be adjusted.

This is common, I assume.

What is happening? Does the vibration make the variable condenser shift
a little bit? Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?

Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa? FM has AFC but iirc
AM doesn't have that.




I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on lights
and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune, even when I
don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out, and I'd like the radio
to continue to play the station clearly.


I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
until someone pushes a button.

Mike

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Feb 19, 2019, 7:26:40 PM2/19/19
to
On 2/19/2019 3:58 PM, micky wrote:
> what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?
>
> I have radios that I tune and after they play a while the tuning needs
> to be adjusted.
>
> This is common, I assume.
>
> What is happening? Does the vibration make the variable condenser shift
> a little bit? Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?
>
> Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa? FM has AFC but iirc
> AM doesn't have that.
>
>
Yep, that's a problem. But you can't do much about it.

>
>
> I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on lights
> and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune, even when I
> don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out, and I'd like the radio
> to continue to play the station clearly.
>
>
> I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
> turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
> until someone pushes a button.

You could leave the electronic tuning radio on all the time and use
an external speaker switched by the timer.
>

Phil Allison

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Feb 19, 2019, 8:29:43 PM2/19/19
to
micky the moron wrote:
>
>
> what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?
>
> I have radios that I tune and after they play a while the tuning needs
> to be adjusted.
>
> This is common, I assume.
>
> What is happening? Does the vibration make the variable condenser shift
> a little bit? Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?
>
> Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa? FM has AFC but iirc
> AM doesn't have that.
>
>

** Its far more common with FM than AM and with tube sets compared to transistor.

It results from the local oscillator ( LO ) changing frequency with rising temperature after the set is switched on and begins to warm internally.

The culprits are the tubes or transistors plus low value capacitors used in the LO circuit.

IME transistor AM radios barely drift at all unless part of a receiver ( tuner - amp) that that heats significantly.


.... Phil


micky

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Feb 19, 2019, 8:38:33 PM2/19/19
to
In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 19 Feb 2019 16:26:34 -0800, Mike
<ham...@netscape.net> wrote:

>On 2/19/2019 3:58 PM, micky wrote:
>> what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?
>>
>> I have radios that I tune and after they play a while the tuning needs
>> to be adjusted.
>>
>> This is common, I assume.
>>
>> What is happening? Does the vibration make the variable condenser shift
>> a little bit? Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?
>>
>> Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa? FM has AFC but iirc
>> AM doesn't have that.
>>
>>
>Yep, that's a problem. But you can't do much about it.

So are you saying that AM is worse than FM, because AM has no AFC?

Or AM and FM are both a problem?


>>
>> I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on lights
>> and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune, even when I
>> don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out, and I'd like the radio
>> to continue to play the station clearly.
>>
>>
>> I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
>> turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
>> until someone pushes a button.
>
>You could leave the electronic tuning radio on all the time and use
>an external speaker switched by the timer.

Maybe for next time. I don't have one of those.

micky

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Feb 19, 2019, 8:46:59 PM2/19/19
to
In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 19 Feb 2019 16:54:36 -0800 (PST), trader_4
<tra...@optonline.net> wrote:

>
>
>Usually the tuning issue is mostly with weaker stations. If the issue is

I didn't pay much attention until just now, but I think the common one
was 88.1, which is pretty strong. I'd leave one radio on and even in the
length of time it takes to take a bath, 30 minutes, the sound would get
gnarled.

On my 250 dollar radio, 88.1 in Baltimore got lower in volume about a
year ago, and 88.5 which is all the way in DC is now louder and probably
more clear. (But that one has electronic tuning, have to push a
button to get sound.)

BUT, none of the radios I actually use except the car radio can get
88.5, because it's all the way in DC. Yet on the good radio it comes in
better.

I guess I figure that if it drifts on a somewhat weak station, it will
drift on any station. Is that where AFC will make a difference? On FM
only but not AM? (and with enough time it will drift so far it won't
sound like a radio station.)

>just using it as a source to make it look like someone is home, unless
>the radio is a real POS, you;d think that you could tune it to a strong
>local station and it would work. I certainly had all kinds of radios
>over the years that stayed tuned to all kinds of stations AM and FM without
>a problem. Micky is in MD too, right? Should be plenty of local, strong
>stations.

Yes, just for making noise it doesn't have to be a station I would
actually listen to. It could even play hiphop. it's a pain for
testing however, having to listen to some of that.

"\"Re...@home.com

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Feb 19, 2019, 8:54:18 PM2/19/19
to
Do you have a TV with cable access ? If so, does the cable service have
music only channels ? Our Xfinity/Comcast does.

Have your timer turn the TV on/off. Leave cable box set to music channel.

Sjouke Burry

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Feb 19, 2019, 9:05:04 PM2/19/19
to
Any or all of the above.

Rod Speed

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Feb 19, 2019, 9:09:22 PM2/19/19
to
micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote

> what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

The thing that does the tuning moves physically. That's
only with the old radios tho, not modern digital ones.

> I have radios that I tune and after they play
> a while the tuning needs to be adjusted.

> This is common, I assume.

No it isnt.

> What is happening? Does the vibration make
> the variable condenser shift a little bit?

Shouldn't do unless is much looser than it should be.

> Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?

Again, it shouldn't happen with a well designed radio.

> Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa?

In theory its more likely with AM.

> FM has AFC but iirc AM doesn't have that.

That's sort of true.

> I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on
> lights and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune,
> even when I don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out,
> and I'd like the radio to continue to play the station clearly.

> I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a
> timer that turns the power off and on, when it comes
> on, the radio doesn't start until someone pushes a button.

They arent all like that. Just replace the radio with a better analog one.

%

unread,
Feb 19, 2019, 9:15:03 PM2/19/19
to
and get on SiriusXM

Mike

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Feb 19, 2019, 10:08:32 PM2/19/19
to
On 2/19/2019 5:38 PM, micky wrote:
> In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 19 Feb 2019 16:26:34 -0800, Mike
> <ham...@netscape.net> wrote:
>
>> On 2/19/2019 3:58 PM, micky wrote:
>>> what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?
>>>
>>> I have radios that I tune and after they play a while the tuning needs
>>> to be adjusted.
>>>
>>> This is common, I assume.
>>>
>>> What is happening? Does the vibration make the variable condenser shift
>>> a little bit? Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?
>>>
>>> Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa? FM has AFC but iirc
>>> AM doesn't have that.
>>>
>>>
>> Yep, that's a problem. But you can't do much about it.
>
> So are you saying that AM is worse than FM, because AM has no AFC?
>
> Or AM and FM are both a problem?
No, I'm not saying that.
I'm saying that, if all the devices you have to make noise are
insufficient, you need different devices.
Fixing ANY of them is gonna be far more time consuming than
obtaining a speaker or mp3 player or a computer that can turn itself
on whenever you program it...like all of them do...somehow.

Turn on the mp3 player and let it loop 24/7. The switched lights should
be sufficient to fool anybody who'd be fooled by such devices.

rbowman

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Feb 19, 2019, 10:51:29 PM2/19/19
to
On 02/19/2019 04:58 PM, micky wrote:
> what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

How old and crappy are your radios? Have you made it up to a
superheterodyne or are you still in the regenerative era?


danny burstein

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Feb 19, 2019, 11:07:50 PM2/19/19
to
In <gd415s...@mid.individual.net> rbowman <bow...@montana.com> writes:

> Thunderbird/45.6.0
>In-Reply-To: <41vo6e5v4nb6oa3h1...@4ax.com>
>Xref: panix sci.electronics.repair:586980 alt.home.repair:1823920
Me, I'm still waiting to upgrade to using a stainless
steel razor blade for mine...

--
_____________________________________________________
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key
dan...@panix.com
[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]

Ralph Mowery

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Feb 19, 2019, 11:17:31 PM2/19/19
to
In article <qpbp6edoacae7eirg...@4ax.com>, NONONOmisc07
@bigfoot.com says...
>
> >>
> >Yep, that's a problem. But you can't do much about it.
>
> So are you saying that AM is worse than FM, because AM has no AFC?
>
> Or AM and FM are both a problem?
>
>
>

Usually AM will be worse because there is no AFC. Most FM radios will
have AFC.

Just turn the radio on and let it play for half an hour before putting
it on a timmer.It may come on off frequency ,but as it warms up it
should drift to the station.

micky

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Feb 19, 2019, 11:28:12 PM2/19/19
to
In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 19 Feb 2019 20:54:12 -0500,
"\"Retired"@home.com wrote:

>On 2/19/19 6:58 PM, micky wrote:
>> what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?
>>
>> I have radios that I tune and after they play a while the tuning needs
>> to be adjusted.
>>
>> This is common, I assume.
>>
>> What is happening? Does the vibration make the variable condenser shift
>> a little bit? Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?
>>
>> Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa? FM has AFC but iirc
>> AM doesn't have that.

This is not as bad as some seem to have gleaned. This method will work,
I just wanted to shorten the time it would take me to find the right
radio, the right AM or FM band, and a a good station

>> I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
>> turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
>> until someone pushes a button.
>>
>
>Do you have a TV with cable access ?

No, I don't.

>If so, does the cable service have
>music only channels ? Our Xfinity/Comcast does.

It doesn't have to be music. Burglars don't know my tastes. It just
has to be a radio or tv station.

BTW, I've been on 3 trips in the last 2 years totaling 160 days and no
one has bothered my house at all. I just want to keep it that way.

>Have your timer turn the TV on/off. Leave cable box set to music channel.

If the timer provides power to the TV, someone has to press the TV's
on/off button.

Thanks.


micky

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Feb 19, 2019, 11:40:06 PM2/19/19
to
In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 20 Feb 2019 13:02:17 +1100, "Rod Speed"
<rod.sp...@gmail.com> wrote:

>micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote
>
>> what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?
>
>The thing that does the tuning moves physically. That's
>only with the old radios tho, not modern digital ones.

Digital radios won't work here. They all afaik have a separate
momentary-on on/off switch.

>> I have radios that I tune and after they play
>> a while the tuning needs to be adjusted.
>
>> This is common, I assume.
>
>No it isnt.

I thought I had at least two radios like this.

>
>> What is happening? Does the vibration make
>> the variable condenser shift a little bit?
>
>Shouldn't do unless is much looser than it should be.

It doesn't seem to be loose.
>
>> Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?
>
>Again, it shouldn't happen with a well designed radio.

I wasn't there when they designed it. ;-)
>
>> Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa?
>
>In theory its more likely with AM.

That's good to know.

>> FM has AFC but iirc AM doesn't have that.
>
>That's sort of true.

I know some radios have an AFC switch, so you can get weak stations that
are close to strong stations, but if there is no AFC switch, I thought
all FM radios have AFC anyhow.

BTW. that reminds me of another example of drifting. My Hallicrafters
short-wave (plus medium and long wave) radio made in the 30's I got from
my cousin around 1958. A couple times I heard TV sound on it, even
though TV sound in the 50's and until digital is supposed to be FM and
the radio was AM. Nonetheless, I turned on a TV and found the channel
it was receiving.

And I had to retune every 5 minutes or so to a constantly higher
frequency. Finally after an hour or two, I reached the end of the band.
IIRC I switched to the bottom of the next higher band but I couldn't
find the same transmission.

Yes, the thing was 30 years old but it was certainly well-designed. I
still have the radio and I've only had to replace the AC filter
capacitors. Everything else still works, even though it's about 85
years old now.

>> I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on
>> lights and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune,
>> even when I don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out,
>> and I'd like the radio to continue to play the station clearly.
>
>> I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a
>> timer that turns the power off and on, when it comes
>> on, the radio doesn't start until someone pushes a button.
>
>They arent all like that. Just replace the radio with a better analog one.

I've bought 2 or 3 radios in the last couple years, but in order to get
88.5 in DC in the kitchen, without having to turn on the wireless
speaker from the computer. (no, for others who suggested the computer,
I'm not going to run the computer for 24/7 for 12 weeks when I can just
run a radio 3 or 4 hours a day. I've been plugging and unplugging a
couple of them making sure which one will stay on the frequency it's set
for, but this takes a lot of time and the questions were designed to
speed things up.)

Fox's Mercantile

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Feb 19, 2019, 11:48:14 PM2/19/19
to
On 2/19/19 10:39 PM, micky wrote:
> Yes, the thing was 30 years old but it was certainly well-designed. I
> still have the radio and I've only had to replace the AC filter
> capacitors. Everything else still works, even though it's about 85
> years old now.

Hallicrafters radios are notorious for drifting.
It's almost a trade mark.


--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

Rod Speed

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Feb 20, 2019, 1:50:11 AM2/20/19
to


"micky" <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
news:oslp6ehjgeororp69...@4ax.com...
> In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 20 Feb 2019 13:02:17 +1100, "Rod Speed"
> <rod.sp...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote
>>
>>> what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?
>>
>>The thing that does the tuning moves physically. That's
>>only with the old radios tho, not modern digital ones.

> Digital radios won't work here. They all afaik
> have a separate momentary-on on/off switch.

Not all of them do, most obviously with car radios.

>>> I have radios that I tune and after they play
>>> a while the tuning needs to be adjusted.
>>
>>> This is common, I assume.
>>
>>No it isnt.
>
> I thought I had at least two radios like this.

Looks like you have fluked a couple of duds.
None of my analog radios do that.

>>> What is happening? Does the vibration make
>>> the variable condenser shift a little bit?
>>
>>Shouldn't do unless is much looser than it should be.
>
> It doesn't seem to be loose.
>>
>>> Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?
>>
>>Again, it shouldn't happen with a well designed radio.
>
> I wasn't there when they designed it. ;-)
>>
>>> Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa?
>>
>>In theory its more likely with AM.
>
> That's good to know.
>
>>> FM has AFC but iirc AM doesn't have that.
>>
>>That's sort of true.
>
> I know some radios have an AFC switch, so you can get weak stations that
> are close to strong stations, but if there is no AFC switch, I thought
> all FM radios have AFC anyhow.

Normally the analog ones do, not needed with digital ones.

> BTW. that reminds me of another example of drifting. My Hallicrafters
> short-wave (plus medium and long wave) radio made in the 30's I got
> from my cousin around 1958. A couple times I heard TV sound on it,
> even though TV sound in the 50's and until digital is supposed to be
> FM and the radio was AM. Nonetheless, I turned on a TV and found
> the channel it was receiving.

Yeah, you can decode FM with an SSB receiver.

> And I had to retune every 5 minutes or so to a constantly higher
> frequency. Finally after an hour or two, I reached the end of the band.
> IIRC I switched to the bottom of the next higher band but I couldn't
> find the same transmission.

Likely it was an intermodulation that you were
receiving and the signal it was intermodulating
with was what was drifting that dramatically.

> Yes, the thing was 30 years old but it was certainly well-designed.

Yeah, very decent designs.

> I still have the radio and I've only had to replace
> the AC filter capacitors. Everything else still
> works, even though it's about 85 years old now.

Yeah, they do last well.

tabb...@gmail.com

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Feb 20, 2019, 3:48:18 AM2/20/19
to
My 1930s regen doesn't drift after half an hour. But don't look at it sideways.


NT

tabb...@gmail.com

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Feb 20, 2019, 3:51:20 AM2/20/19
to
On Wednesday, 20 February 2019 04:40:06 UTC, micky wrote:

> BTW. that reminds me of another example of drifting. My Hallicrafters
> short-wave (plus medium and long wave) radio made in the 30's I got from
> my cousin around 1958. A couple times I heard TV sound on it, even
> though TV sound in the 50's and until digital is supposed to be FM and
> the radio was AM. Nonetheless, I turned on a TV and found the channel
> it was receiving.
>
> And I had to retune every 5 minutes or so to a constantly higher
> frequency. Finally after an hour or two, I reached the end of the band.
> IIRC I switched to the bottom of the next higher band but I couldn't
> find the same transmission.
>
> Yes, the thing was 30 years old but it was certainly well-designed. I
> still have the radio and I've only had to replace the AC filter
> capacitors. Everything else still works, even though it's about 85
> years old now.

AM receivers can receive FM due to a phenomenon called slope detection. It's hardly ideal but can be done. If they can tune to the right frequency.


NT

Peeler

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Feb 20, 2019, 4:05:12 AM2/20/19
to
On Wed, 20 Feb 2019 17:49:56 +1100, cantankerous trolling senile geezer Rot
Speed blabbered, again:

>> I thought I had at least two radios like this.
>
> Looks like you have fluked

Looks like you found another simpleton who hasn't yet realized what's the
matter with you, you fucked up senile Ozzie troll! <BG>

--
Richard addressing Rot Speed:
"Shit you're thick/pathetic excuse for a troll."
MID: <ogoa38$pul$1...@news.mixmin.net>

devnull

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Feb 20, 2019, 6:21:27 AM2/20/19
to
On 2/19/19 11:27 PM, micky wrote:
> BTW, I've been on 3 trips in the last 2 years totaling 160 days and no
> one has bothered my house at all. I just want to keep it that way.



Life is a constant battle of keeping burglars out of my house and democrats out of my paycheck. Democrats suck!

peterw...@gmail.com

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Feb 20, 2019, 9:10:55 AM2/20/19
to
On Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at 6:58:37 PM UTC-5, micky wrote:
> what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

Depending on the vintage of the device:

Heat and vibration are the primary culprits. Followed by temperature differences - that is, on a battery set or a low-volt portable tube set, heat from the electronics is not a factor. But a 10-degree change in ambient temperature can cause drift.

Then, of course, it can be changes in the time-of-day and environmental effects, local sources of interference and similar. At our summer house, FM is problematic during the day (we are in a valley with at least two mountain ridges between us and the nearest transmitter), but crystal clear at night from several stations. Yes, I know FM is line-of-sight, I am only reporting what is the actual case.

"Modern" Digitally tuned devices should not drift at all. And perhaps you should target such devices for your needs while you are away.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

rbowman

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Feb 20, 2019, 10:02:15 AM2/20/19
to
On 02/19/2019 09:07 PM, danny burstein wrote:
> In <gd415s...@mid.individual.net> rbowman <bow...@montana.com> writes:
>
>> Thunderbird/45.6.0
>> In-Reply-To: <41vo6e5v4nb6oa3h1...@4ax.com>
>> Xref: panix sci.electronics.repair:586980 alt.home.repair:1823920
>
>> On 02/19/2019 04:58 PM, micky wrote:
>>> what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?
>
>> How old and crappy are your radios? Have you made it up to a
>> superheterodyne or are you still in the regenerative era?
>
> Me, I'm still waiting to upgrade to using a stainless
> steel razor blade for mine...
>

Probably won't work. A Gillette Blue Blade is best but if you are a
manly man a rusty blade or one you've heated with a torch to get a layer
of oxide will do it.

micky

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Feb 20, 2019, 10:32:17 AM2/20/19
to
In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 19 Feb 2019 23:17:21 -0500, Ralph Mowery
That sounds good.

Thanks everyone.

micky

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Feb 20, 2019, 10:36:00 AM2/20/19
to
In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 20 Feb 2019 17:49:56 +1100, "Rod Speed"
<rod.sp...@gmail.com> wrote:

>
>
>"micky" <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
>news:oslp6ehjgeororp69...@4ax.com...
>> In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 20 Feb 2019 13:02:17 +1100, "Rod Speed"
>> <rod.sp...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com> wrote
>>>
>>>> what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?
>>>
>>>The thing that does the tuning moves physically. That's
>>>only with the old radios tho, not modern digital ones.
>
>> Digital radios won't work here. They all afaik
>> have a separate momentary-on on/off switch.
>
>Not all of them do, most obviously with car radios.

Good point. But the 3 I have do. I'm not buying another unless I was
sure it would get 88.5 and I've tried testing it in the store. Might
work there but not when I get home.
Very interesting.

>> And I had to retune every 5 minutes or so to a constantly higher
>> frequency. Finally after an hour or two, I reached the end of the band.
>> IIRC I switched to the bottom of the next higher band but I couldn't
>> find the same transmission.
>
>Likely it was an intermodulation that you were
>receiving and the signal it was intermodulating
>with was what was drifting that dramatically.

Very interesting.

>> Yes, the thing was 30 years old but it was certainly well-designed.
>
>Yeah, very decent designs.
>
>> I still have the radio and I've only had to replace
>> the AC filter capacitors. Everything else still
>> works, even though it's about 85 years old now.
>
>Yeah, they do last well.

I may give it a party when it turns 100.

thekma...@gmail.com

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Feb 20, 2019, 11:11:18 AM2/20/19
to
Ralph Mowery wrote: "as it warms up it should drift to
the station"

From which 'side' of the station as selected on the
dial?

Chuck

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Feb 20, 2019, 11:34:43 AM2/20/19
to
On Tue, 19 Feb 2019 18:58:31 -0500, micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
wrote:

>what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?
>
>I have radios that I tune and after they play a while the tuning needs
>to be adjusted.
>
>This is common, I assume.
>
>What is happening? Does the vibration make the variable condenser shift
>a little bit? Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?
>
>Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa? FM has AFC but iirc
>AM doesn't have that.
>
>
>
>
>I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on lights
>and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune, even when I
>don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out, and I'd like the radio
>to continue to play the station clearly.
>
>
>I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
>turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
>until someone pushes a button.
If you can find an older Sony Boom Box like the CFD-5 that tune locks,
it won't drift at all. I have one on a timer and the station is always
still locked after I come home from a trip.

Mark Lloyd

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Feb 20, 2019, 12:33:16 PM2/20/19
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On 2/19/19 5:58 PM, micky wrote:

[[snip]

> I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
> turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
> until someone pushes a button.

I also find that "power amnesia" to be an annoyance. For most of the
settings, modern devices use permanent memory. Often, they exclude the
"power' switch.

BTW, For TVs, I notice that many smaller ones will remember, and can be
used with a timer. Bigger TVs are power amnesiacs.

--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"Common sense is what tells you that the world is flat."

Mark Lloyd

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Feb 20, 2019, 12:37:48 PM2/20/19
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On 2/19/19 8:02 PM, Rod Speed wrote:
[snip]

>> I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
>> turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
>> until someone pushes a button.
>
> They arent all like that. Just replace the radio with a better analog one.

If it doesn't come on after a power interruption, that sounds like a
defect (unless this was an OPTION you set). I wish they'd put that
information on the box and in ads.

BTW, another piece of useful (but often missing) information is latency
of an internet connection. This is often more important than speed.

Mark Lloyd

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Feb 20, 2019, 12:45:55 PM2/20/19
to
On 2/19/19 10:27 PM, micky wrote:

[snip]

>> Have your timer turn the TV on/off. Leave cable box set to music channel.
>
> If the timer provides power to the TV, someone has to press the TV's
> on/off button.

I have found this to be true with larger TVs, but not with smaller ones
(the largest I have without the problem is 22-inch). However, they don't
put this on the box and any salespeople will probably NOT be able to help.

Possibly a very expensive TV might have an option for this.

> Thanks.

Mark Lloyd

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Feb 20, 2019, 12:47:56 PM2/20/19
to
On 2/19/19 10:39 PM, micky wrote:

[snip]

> Digital radios won't work here. They all afaik have a separate
> momentary-on on/off switch.

Having a momentary switch is not the problem, it's that without power it
forgets the setting of that electronic switch.

[snip]

Diesel

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Feb 20, 2019, 9:45:48 PM2/20/19
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"\"Retired"@home.com
news:zYGdnTvUQI3ZLvHB...@giganews.com Wed, 20 Feb 2019
01:54:12 GMT in alt.home.repair, wrote:

> Do you have a TV with cable access ? If so, does the cable service
> have music only channels ? Our Xfinity/Comcast does.
>
> Have your timer turn the TV on/off. Leave cable box set to music
> channel.

While a timer could be used to turn a modern tv off, it's highly
doubtful you can turn it back on with the timer. All tvs I've seen in
the past say, ten years have standby modes. If you connect them to AC,
they don't just turn on, you still have to press a button. You can't
really tape the button down or short it out in most cases either,
because it'll most likely do one of two things if you did:

(a) stay off all the time
(b) turn on, but go back to stand by a short time later, because you
aren't letting go of the button

I seriously doubt it would come out of standby and remain on if you the
button remained pressed. You'd need an older tv that had a real power
switch that actually did turn it on or off, not one with a standby or
sleep mode.


--
Radioactive halibut will make fission chips.

Diesel

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Feb 20, 2019, 9:45:48 PM2/20/19
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micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
news:oslp6ehjgeororp69...@4ax.com Wed, 20 Feb 2019
04:39:56 GMT in alt.home.repair, wrote:

>>The thing that does the tuning moves physically. That's
>>only with the old radios tho, not modern digital ones.
>
> Digital radios won't work here. They all afaik have a separate
> momentary-on on/off switch.

That isn't restricted to a digital radio. It's any device that has a
sleep mode or standby power mode. IE: anything that doesn't have a real
power switch. The momentary push button switches on modern tv sets
aren't controlling high voltage ac mains directly; they're telling
another circuit board that's using a small amount of power that it's
okay to close a relay to bring the main power board online from the ac
mains. And it'll hold the relay closed until you press the little
button again, which opens the relay and resumes sleep/suspend/standby
mode.



--
Out of Taglines, Please Order More

Diesel

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Feb 20, 2019, 9:45:49 PM2/20/19
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Mark Lloyd <n...@mail.invalid> news:tbgbE.6149$Dv6....@fx06.iad Wed,
20 Feb 2019 17:33:12 GMT in alt.home.repair, wrote:

> On 2/19/19 5:58 PM, micky wrote:
>
> [[snip]
>
>> I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer
>> that turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio
>> doesn't start until someone pushes a button.
>
> I also find that "power amnesia" to be an annoyance. For most of
> the settings, modern devices use permanent memory. Often, they
> exclude the "power' switch.

Most of the time, the power switch is controlled by another board
entirely that's mostly a small transformer, a few circuits, a relay
and access to the hot leg of the ac mains that it passes along via a
closed relay to the rest of the set that does the real work. When you
push the button to turn the tv off, it opens the relay. When you want
it on, it closes the relay. The remote on the tv is doing the same
thing. Sometimes, the IR LEDs are on the smaller standby board and
other times it's located on their own boards wired to it, or might be
sitting on the actual mainboard of the set, but electrically
connected only to the standby board; it just has a physical residence
on the mainboard.

So, there's nothing for it to memorize, and no way to enforce the
memorization if it did, as the standby board is entirely reliant on
human interaction for relay open/close.

The only exception are sets that have additional circuitry to trip
the standby board into closing the relay with pulse signal; this
requires additional circuitry on the standby board as well as
mainboard of the set, wiring, additional coding frontend/backend,
and, space to store the last known 'setting' to enforce when the
standby board has access to ac mains power.

The additional circuitry on the standby board serves to provide a
limited amount of power to the mainboard without closing the relay so
the mainboard can pull the last known setting and tell the standby
board to close the relay, if that was the setting. When it closes the
relay, that's when it's connecting ac mains (the hot leg) to the main
power supply that actually runs everything else. The standby board
has it's own power supply that's always hot if the set is plugged in.



--
Big donkeys, small donkeys, all good to eat.

micky

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Feb 20, 2019, 11:23:54 PM2/20/19
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In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 20 Feb 2019 11:33:12 -0600, Mark Lloyd
<n...@mail.invalid> wrote:

>On 2/19/19 5:58 PM, micky wrote:
>
>[[snip]
>
>> I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
>> turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
>> until someone pushes a button.
>
>I also find that "power amnesia" to be an annoyance. For most of the
>settings, modern devices use permanent memory. Often, they exclude the
>"power' switch.

Yes, exactly.
>
>BTW, For TVs, I notice that many smaller ones will remember, and can be
>used with a timer. Bigger TVs are power amnesiacs.

I have a small tv but for various reasons, can't use it.

I'm set up now, though. Thanks all.

Fox's Mercantile

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Feb 21, 2019, 12:21:24 AM2/21/19
to
On 2/20/19 10:23 PM, micky wrote:
> I'm set up now, though.

So, how about after all the flailing around here, you TELL us
what you did/ended up with.

devnull

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Feb 21, 2019, 5:48:33 AM2/21/19
to
On 2/19/19 6:58 PM, micky wrote:
> I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on lights
> and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune, even when I
> don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out, and I'd like the radio
> to continue to play the station clearly.



Are you afraid some border-hoppin' thief is going to steal your stuff?

The most effective way to keep the criminals out is to build a wall around your house. Open borders don't work.


George

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Feb 21, 2019, 6:32:07 AM2/21/19
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Nancy Pelosi has an immoral wall around her compound.  She also has people with guns protecting her home as well.

peterw...@gmail.com

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Feb 21, 2019, 7:26:17 AM2/21/19
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On Thursday, February 21, 2019 at 5:48:33 AM UTC-5, devnull wrote:

>
> The most effective way to keep the criminals out is to build a wall around your house. Open borders don't work.

All walls around properties do is give the thieves shelter from outside eyes.
All lights do around properties is give thieves light to work with.

All that is necessary to prevent thievery is for *your* house to be a little bit tougher than the next house. Much as I do not have to be faster than the bear, just one other person.

Dogs work well. And being home at the target time. Given that most burglaries happen between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm - when most people are at work or at school. And in the better neighborhoods, a panel van will drive up, a couple of individuals get out in jump suits and carrying clip-boards. One might set up a power-washer or some such.... you get the picture.

In the next township over from us, a truck delivered some cheap furniture, in boxes, and loaded up all the good stuff prior to leaving. Brilliant.

peterw...@gmail.com

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Feb 21, 2019, 7:28:11 AM2/21/19
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On Thursday, February 21, 2019 at 6:32:07 AM UTC-5, George wrote:

> Nancy Pelosi has an immoral wall around her compound.  She also has people with guns protecting her home as well.


No, it does not. And the Orange Toad squats behind a fence, not a wall.

jf...@my-deja.com

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Feb 21, 2019, 9:51:39 AM2/21/19
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The SNR here is getting to be like rec.radio.shortwave...

Bob F

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Feb 21, 2019, 11:39:14 AM2/21/19
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With people like you in this country, I can certainly understand her
worries.

peterw...@gmail.com

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Feb 21, 2019, 11:58:33 AM2/21/19
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George

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Feb 21, 2019, 1:12:37 PM2/21/19
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Ted Kennedy's Oldsmobile has killed more people than my handguns.

peterw...@gmail.com

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Feb 21, 2019, 1:48:52 PM2/21/19
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On Thursday, February 21, 2019 at 1:12:37 PM UTC-5, George wrote:

> Ted Kennedy's Oldsmobile has killed more people than my handguns.

As it happens, it was the water, not the car. And the car is a tool of the driver, much as weapons are the tool of the user.

You really are a Maroon!

John-Del

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Feb 21, 2019, 2:38:07 PM2/21/19
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On Thursday, February 21, 2019 at 1:12:37 PM UTC-5, George wrote:
You shouldn't pick on our American Treasures.

Ted Kennedy is reverently known as "The Naval Hero of Chappaquiddick"..

John-Del

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Feb 21, 2019, 2:48:44 PM2/21/19
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Yeah, but the car was still the instrument in her death. She was trapped in the Oldsmobile and couldn't escape from it. If she was thrown clear of the Olds, she would have lived assuming she could swim, and assuming she would have "survived" being a witness to an incident that included a Kennedy and a woman not his wife..

Maroon is such a underappreciated hue..
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