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SilverHoot · 01-16-2011, 08:15 AM

Was wondering what the consensus is on whether I should keep a radio antenna. Mine looks to be in good shape but is the source of a small water leak when it rains.I'm thinking of just removing and patching the hole as I did with the TV antenna. The gasket is in seriously bad shape on this one and a new one will need to be made.
Will a portable radio work inside all that aluminum, with it's antenna?

Inland RV Center, In · 01-16-2011, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverHoot

Was wondering what the consensus is on whether I should keep a radio antenna. Mine looks to be in good shape but is the source of a small water leak when it rains.I'm thinking of just removing and patching the hole as I did with the TV antenna. The gasket is in seriously bad shape on this one and a new one will need to be made.
Will a portable radio work inside all that aluminum, with it's antenna?

Yes, but not very well.

Andy

Aage · 01-16-2011, 09:02 AM

Why not just fix the leak around the antenna?

SilverHoot · 01-16-2011, 09:13 AM

Aage,

Probably will go ahead and fix it. Any ideas on gasket material? Not sure what this old gasket was looks like a paper product.

68 TWind · 01-16-2011, 09:45 AM

Michael,

I have an AM/FM Kraco that was installed in my 68 at some point. It is old but works. We listen to it all the time and the antenna is a must. I have tried a portable inside. Local FM is fair to poor, distant FM and AM is no go. When inside the trailer you are basically in a large aluminum Faraday cage which blocks RF signals.

SilverHoot · 01-16-2011, 09:56 AM

Bruce,

Thanks for the input and was what I figured to be the case. Need to figure out the gasket. I may make a plate about the size of the old gasket out of some heavy gauge aluminum with gasket/sealer between the plate and the skin and the plate and the antenna.

Ag&Au · 01-16-2011, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 68 TWind

Michael,

I have an AM/FM Kraco that was installed in my 68 at some point. It is old but works. We listen to it all the time and the antenna is a must. I have tried a portable inside. Local FM is fair to poor, distant FM and AM is no go. When inside the trailer you are basically in a large aluminum Faraday cage which blocks RF signals.

I found this illustration of a Faraday cage. Unfortunately the door has been left ajar, and the Faraday has escaped.

Ken

68 TWind · 01-16-2011, 10:18 AM

They are really hard to get back in the cage!!! Better watch out.

noreen&sal · 01-16-2011, 10:24 AM

Buy gasket material at auto parts store. Bed with some vulcum or other non silicone caulk. As an aside, my radio is hooked up to the original roll-up antenna. Have picked up philadelphia stations as far as Virginia Beach and Bath, NY. Sal. And replace those bolts with stainless. Sal.

SilverHoot · 01-16-2011, 10:31 AM

I actually think the gasket material will need to be fairly rigid and at least as large as what is left of the old one, so that the stresses are spread.

tkasten · 01-16-2011, 11:11 AM

I put a 12v radio/cassette player from a truck that was updated to a CD player in my Safari. It was free so I gave it a go and it really works well. I too got rid of the antenna on my Safari and patched the hole. All I did was lay out an antenna wire inside the over head cabinet. That is also were the radio/cassette player is installed. I'm amazed at how well it works.

Aage · 01-16-2011, 11:14 AM

Hootie,

I was going to say just something simple like inner tube, but after seeing the size of your antenna's base, something thicker and fairly flexible might be in order. It appears to me that the base is sitting on a curved portion of the body, and therefore the gasket will need to fill a fair bit.

As Sal mentioned, a liberal dousing with Vulkem is also a necessity.

SilverHoot · 01-16-2011, 11:51 AM

Just put a portable radio in it and checked reception, worked great! I'm going to go ahead and do as Tim did and put one out of sight in the endcap storage area above the dinette.

r carl · 01-16-2011, 02:05 PM

I would clean it up and put it back on with vulkem.

walter1 · 01-16-2011, 02:21 PM

Hey SilverHoot,
Please keep us informed how your fix goes. I have similar antenna issues.

When you get it apart could you please post photos of how it goes together (ball joint, mount, antenna wire)?

I tried to remove mine, starting with the allen screw, and it felt like I was twisting wires inside...so smart enough to STOP for now.

Thanks, Walter

TG Twinkie · 01-16-2011, 04:07 PM

The three rusty looking screws at the base are the way to remove the antenna. They appear to be sheetmetal screws. The allen head screw is to adjust the angle of the antenna. When you remove the three screws the whole thing should pull out slightly from the body of the trailer. Make a new gasket; caulk it; reassemble it with new screws. You should be good to go.

SilverHoot · 01-16-2011, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walter1

Hey SilverHoot,
Please keep us informed how your fix goes. I have similar antenna issues.

When you get it apart could you please post photos of how it goes together (ball joint, mount, antenna wire)?

I tried to remove mine, starting with the allen screw, and it felt like I was twisting wires inside...so smart enough to STOP for now.

Thanks, Walter

I'll take some pics tomorrow.

SilverHoot · 01-16-2011, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

The three rusty looking screws at the base are the way to remove the antenna. They appear to be sheetmetal screws. The allen head screw is to adjust the angle of the antenna. When you remove the three screws the whole thing should pull out slightly from the body of the trailer. Make a new gasket; caulk it; reassemble it with new screws. You should be good to go.

The screws are not sheet metal screws, but machine thread and have nuts on the interior I'll post pics tomorrow.

TG Twinkie · 01-16-2011, 07:17 PM

Wow! That surprises me. Will wait for the pics.

TouringDan · 01-16-2011, 07:45 PM

I think I have seen a similar antenna that is available from Radio Shack for about $30. I believe it is a CB antenna. I am not sure of how well it would work for FM reception. Shown below is the antenna on a 63 Globtrotter. So one option is just to replace the antenna with a new one.

Dan