ROBERTS R600 Aerial Fixing

[Gelpack]

Hi

Can someone tell me if the Aerial is supposed to be fixed to the underside of the top as well as the bottom of the Aerial base, the reason I am asking this is because there does not seem to be a fixing to hold the base of the Arial in a fixed position other than the bottom.

On opening this Radio it does not work properly and the signal wire clip had come off.

I need to know if this is expected in the fixing solely at the base.

Thank you

[cathoderay57]

On mine the top of the telescopic aerial rod goes through a rubber grommet in a hole in the top panel, that holds the top of the rod in position and insulates it from shorting to the metal panel. Just below the grommet is a clamp with the aerial wire soldered to it. The bottom has a fixing screw into a threaded right-angled bracket that is, in turn, screwed into the side of the case. Hope that helps. Jerry

[Gelpack]

Hi Jerry,

I guess that would make sense as there is a degree of play at the top maybe a couple of millimetres, if you could, a closeup of the grommet would be useful, but if it would not help or you cannot do it in any detail then that's fine.

Alternatively, if you know of a commercially available part that would work, then that would be good too.

Much appreciated and thank you very much for the reply.


Gel.

[ronbryan]

Here is a picture of the aerial grommet on the front panel with the scale plate removed. The grommet may be still there, but displaced.

Ron

[Gelpack]

Thanks for the picture, I will have to dismantle it again to check between the scale plate and the panel.

I somehow feel that it is not there, but can be certain unless I do check.

OK, so now I have another question, but still related to the Aerial.

On the bottom of the Aerial, there is a threaded insert with a groove in it much like what a screw has. This mounts to a bracket on the side of the case and is secured ( I use that term loosely, figuratively and practically ) because even when the screw is secured tightly, a few swivel's of the aerial and this loosens and then breaks the signal connection wire at the top.

So, the question is is there supposed to be some additional locator plate for the aerial to be locked into position in a radial sense, or is this single screw all there is ?

Many thanks

[cathoderay57]

I haven't measured exactly but it looks like the panel hole is about 12mm diameter so you want a wiring grommet (hollow) and not a blanking grommet of that size. There are plenty on eBay cheap as chips but you'll probably have to buy a small pack of them. Jerry.

[cathoderay57]

The single bottom screw is all there is. Maybe the thread has been stripped or somebody has tried to fit a replacement screw of the wrong size. The top grommet ought to be a snug fit around the rod that provides sufficient friction to inhibit the rod from being rotated enough to undo the bottom screw. The fix should be really simple! J.

[Gelpack]

Thanks to all for your replies and advice.

I will try and see if I can find the original grommet if its still betwixt the tuning panel and top cover or source another one, if I cant do either, then I will need to come up with some other removable brace to prevent the aerial base turning.

Either way I will resolve it somehow, but it could be ugly

I'll drop back and report in what happened.

Stay tuned !!! ( Pun Intended )

[Gelpack]

OK, So I have resolved the issue with the Spinning Aerial. The grommet was not under the tuning cover, but to resolve it I used a rubber washer on the bottom of the Aerial. This get enough purchase to resist the torque when a swivel of the aerial took place.

Unfortunately what I remember as the green wire to the aerial clip somehow went missing and I dont know where to wire the Aerial into now.

So there is a green wire already going inside what I think is the vhf tuner close to the Aerial, is that where it needs to go ?

Also I noticed a previously unseen wire which is purple that comes close to the Aerial, but does not seem long enough to have reached it and I am wondering if that is intended to go to the external aerial socket which itself only seems to have a ground connection and no centre wired.

Any help is appreciated. I'm not a novice at electronics, just a novice when it comes to Radios but I do try my best to learn.

[ronbryan]

On the R600 I have here, the purple wire goes to the telescopic aerial clip. My notes on the circuit diagram show the wire going to the aerial socket centre connection to be brown, but I have not verified this by dismantling the set from the case.

Ron

[Gelpack]

Hi Ron,

Thanks for your message. I tried that but I just get noise.

I'm probably going to give up on this as its too time consuming.

Thanks everyone for trying to help me.

Regards

[slidertogrid]

hopefully these pictures will make it clear. On this set the clip on the aerial is soldered to a purple wire.
Rich