antenna on '61

[heavyduty]

was wondering what the antenna on the curbside of my 61 overlander does and where the leads go to? It is about in the middle of the trailerand is about 8 feet long and has supports to keep it bent to the back of the camper

[47WeeWind]

Originally Posted by heavyduty

was wondering what the antenna on the curbside of my 61 overlander does and where the leads go to? It is about in the middle of the trailerand is about 8 feet long and has supports to keep it bent to the back of the camper

Hi HD:

That is a radio whip antenna that can be used with an old AM radio if the radio's antenna input is tweaked to accept the signal from a long antenna. I don't know how to do that, only that it cold be done with older radios. The antenna might also be able to be used with a shortwave radio; Dan Matthews would know about that.


The factory Airstream AM radio and speaker were mounted in the side wall of the closet immediately to the rear of the fridge so it could be accessed above the shelf on top of the fridge. Here is one such installation in a 1959 Overlander:



10-4.

[47WeeWind]

HD: Is your antenna roughly in the same location as the whip antenna on the 1959 Overlander shown below? 10-10.

[fireflyinva]

We have the antenna mount, but no antenna. Anyone have creative ideas for what we can put in it? It looks like it won't look good without the mount (though I suppose we could just put rivets in the holes, but it sure looks dumb with nothing in the mount.

Would love suggestions!

Mary

[47WeeWind]

Convert the spring loaded antenna base into a holder for your illuminated Fire Fly wand, which after all is only a special order Fairy Godmother wand with a lit Fire Fly instead of an illuminated star at its tip. Either a small light bulb or a cluster of LEDs at the insect's rear would be fly, serving as both a homing beacon after those extreme social hours and, once safely trailerside, a bath of soft, gentle star lite. Install a slow blinker for homing mode, but add a bypass switch so it can be turned off and not drive you crazy once you settle in. Wand height could be adjustable to accomodate an awning. All this bubbles up on only half a cup of morning coffee, but hopefully gets you buzzing off in a fruitful direction.

[fireflyinva]

Oh, boy Fred, I knew Denver was high up, but I didn't figure it'd get you this high! If you find any of those wands, why don't cha go ahead and send me one.

Add a couple of Lindor bars to the order. I need to polish my trailer!

Mary

[fireflyinva]

You know the firefly wand thing is appealing more and more...Much better thanin my early morning fog. It could be really cute. What to make a firefly from? How to power it?

I have a little bee pinwheel (with wings that turn in the wind)--maybe that could be inspiration...

Mary

[vajeep]

Fred,
I had always thought that the antenna was for C-B radios... Is it really for AM radio?
Abe

[47WeeWind]

Originally Posted by vajeep

Fred, I had always thought that the antenna was for C-B radios... Is it really for AM radio? Abe

Abe: While its main purpose may have been two way radios before CB (Forest Service, Police, Utilities, Gov't, etc.), it can be used for an AM radio antenna if the AM radio circuitry is adjusted to work with that length antenna. In addition to the factory installed AM radios, I imagine many 1940, 1950 & 1960's Airstreamers used this type of whip antenna for their multiple band World Radios built by various manufacturers, such as the Zenith Trans-Oceanic.

[47WeeWind]

Originally Posted by fireflyinva

You know the firefly wand thing is appealing more and more...Much better than in my early morning fog. It could be really cute. What to make a firefly from? How to power it? I have a little bee pinwheel (with wings that turn in the wind)--maybe that could be inspiration... Mary

Mary: Good ideas are not always obvious at first. Your avatar suggests you already have a Fairy Godmother dress and harp, so I figure you also have a FG wand nearby to use as an inspiration. Visit various toy departments looking for plastic insects that could be morphed into a Firefly (Ff). If you boondock alot, install a 12 volt Ff tail light. If you camp mostly in full service campgrounds, give it a 120 volt a.c. Ff tail light. Use a hollow tube of some type for the wand and run the electrical wiring ups its center. Or build a custom Firefly from handy materials: tin can, pipe cleaners, celluose sheets, paint, whatever. Make it a craft project. I'm an idea guy, not an execution guy. But i'm sure you can do it ... have more coffee.