Telescopic antenna restoration. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Valve'n'vinyl · 15th Mar 2015, 5:16 pm

I hope no-one minds me posting this here but I just wondered if anyone knew where we can get antennas made / repaired . The old antennas for the likes of Roberts /Hacker /Tandberg to mention a few are no longer available and have not been for some decades. I cringe when people buy a set and rip an antenna off to "make one good set out of two" when the only real issue is the antenna . Then the other set gets relegated to "spares" . There MUST be someone out there who can do it ? any thoughts?

dave walsh · 15th Mar 2015, 5:48 pm

There are threads showing how to do very high quality repairs but that's not what you are asking for! It may be hard to find anyone supplying this service but you could always ask I suppose. Maybe under repair services wanted?
Dave W

dseymo1 · 15th Mar 2015, 8:21 pm

Pound shops sell 'rabbit ears' TV aerials - probably not much use for their intended purpose, but useful donors of telescopic antennas, which can be used directly in many cases or modified (e.g. grafting to the original at the knuckle joint).

emeritus · 16th Mar 2015, 1:27 am

Maplin still do a rather diminished range of replacement telescopic antennas. I recently bought one to replace the broken one of my son's radio, a long one that pivoted up and around but does not retract into the radio when not in use. I couldn't find one with the same fitting, but did find one where the telescopic part was the same length, and fitted the new telescopic section to the old base section at the pivot (knuckle) as per post #3. I had to use an extra spacing washer (obtained from the original antenna's pivot) as the lug on the new telescopic section was slightly narrower than the original. Had the new lug been wider than the original, I would have filed it down to fit. I did the same with another radio a while ago where the antenna does retract, but couldn't find one that contracted as much as the original, so it sticks out a few inches when stowed.

ColinTheAmpMan1 · 17th Mar 2015, 6:18 pm

How about 11 of these for £14:40?

http://www.cricklewoodelectronics.com/AET11.html

Colin.

Valve'n'vinyl · 19th Mar 2015, 7:07 pm

They dont look bad, but was hoping for someone to point me in the direction of someone who restores / makes antennas to their original spec .

nicam49 · 31st Mar 2015, 5:12 pm

Hi, I was able to get a better choice of telescopic antennas from Radioshack in Lancaster.
The Maplin ones don't come with the correct bases to be a direct replacement for some portable radio aerials. I've just read that RadioShack in USA stopped trading in Feb, though over here they're owned by Car Phone Warehouse, so they might still be available You can try giving them a ring. They're at 75 Penny Street in Lancaster, Phone 01524 381412

ColinTheAmpMan1 · 31st Mar 2015, 5:37 pm

RadioShack was called Tandy in the UK. I didn't know that they had any shops with the RadioShack name at all on this side of the Atlantic.

You could have a look at the Tandy web-site (http://www.tandyonline.co.uk/), but I couldn't see anything under "telescopic" and only co-ax cable and plugs under "Aerial".

camtechman · 1st Apr 2015, 4:47 am

Quote:

was hoping for someone to point me in the direction of someone who restores / makes antennas to their original spec .

I've been repairing & constructing telescopic aerials for some years but only for myself.

Unfortunately the time & hence cost involved in doing it for someone else would be prohibitive !

Mike Phelan · 1st Apr 2015, 9:59 am

I think you will have to have a go yourself, as camtechman's take on the labour cost would be more than the equipment is worth.

mark_in_manc · 1st Apr 2015, 9:23 pm

Typing 'telescopic magnet' into ebay yields 1500 hits, many of which are different from one another. One can make knobbly bits for the ends by spinning short lengths of rod material in a drill chuck against abrasive paper, in the lack of a lathe.

nicam49 · 3rd Apr 2015, 1:48 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColinTheAmpMan1

RadioShack was called Tandy in the UK. I didn't know that they had any shops with the RadioShack name at all on this side of the Atlantic.

Hi Colin,
Yes, I kid you not- It was there in July 2014 I hope it's still trading too, but I stopped visiting Lancaster after my son graduated from uni there.
Feast your eyes on this and believe: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.04...!6m1!1e1?hl=en

ColinTheAmpMan1 · 3rd Apr 2015, 3:22 pm

Well, my flabber is well-and-truly gasted! They even have the right "R" logo. I wonder if there are any more oddities like that in the RadioShack/Tandy world. Is it possible that "Tandy" means something rude in Lancashire dialect?

15th Mar 2015, 5:16 pm	#1
Valve'n'vinyl Pentode Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Scarborough , North Riding of Yorkshire Posts: 202	Telescopic antenna restoration. I hope no-one minds me posting this here but I just wondered if anyone knew where we can get antennas made / repaired . The old antennas for the likes of Roberts /Hacker /Tandberg to mention a few are no longer available and have not been for some decades. I cringe when people buy a set and rip an antenna off to "make one good set out of two" when the only real issue is the antenna . Then the other set gets relegated to "spares" . There MUST be someone out there who can do it ? any thoughts?

15th Mar 2015, 5:48 pm	#2
dave walsh Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex. Posts: 5,817	Re: Telescopic antenna restoration. There are threads showing how to do very high quality repairs but that's not what you are asking for! It may be hard to find anyone supplying this service but you could always ask I suppose. Maybe under repair services wanted? Dave W

16th Mar 2015, 1:27 am	#4
emeritus Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK. Posts: 5,339	Re: Telescopic antenna restoration. Maplin still do a rather diminished range of replacement telescopic antennas. I recently bought one to replace the broken one of my son's radio, a long one that pivoted up and around but does not retract into the radio when not in use. I couldn't find one with the same fitting, but did find one where the telescopic part was the same length, and fitted the new telescopic section to the old base section at the pivot (knuckle) as per post #3. I had to use an extra spacing washer (obtained from the original antenna's pivot) as the lug on the new telescopic section was slightly narrower than the original. Had the new lug been wider than the original, I would have filed it down to fit. I did the same with another radio a while ago where the antenna does retract, but couldn't find one that contracted as much as the original, so it sticks out a few inches when stowed. Last edited by emeritus; 16th Mar 2015 at 1:32 am.

17th Mar 2015, 6:18 pm	#5
ColinTheAmpMan1 Octode Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Wimbledon, London, UK. Posts: 1,465	Re: Telescopic antenna restoration. How about 11 of these for £14:40? http://www.cricklewoodelectronics.com/AET11.html Colin.

19th Mar 2015, 7:07 pm	#6
Valve'n'vinyl Pentode Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Scarborough , North Riding of Yorkshire Posts: 202	Re: Telescopic antenna restoration. They dont look bad, but was hoping for someone to point me in the direction of someone who restores / makes antennas to their original spec .

15th Mar 2015, 8:21 pm	#3
dseymo1 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Shropshire, UK. Posts: 3,051	Re: Telescopic antenna restoration. Pound shops sell 'rabbit ears' TV aerials - probably not much use for their intended purpose, but useful donors of telescopic antennas, which can be used directly in many cases or modified (e.g. grafting to the original at the knuckle joint).

31st Mar 2015, 5:12 pm	#7
nicam49 Hexode Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Wigston, Leicester, UK. Posts: 350	Re: Telescopic antenna restoration. Hi, I was able to get a better choice of telescopic antennas from Radioshack in Lancaster. The Maplin ones don't come with the correct bases to be a direct replacement for some portable radio aerials. I've just read that RadioShack in USA stopped trading in Feb, though over here they're owned by Car Phone Warehouse, so they might still be available You can try giving them a ring. They're at 75 Penny Street in Lancaster, Phone 01524 381412

31st Mar 2015, 5:37 pm	#8
ColinTheAmpMan1 Octode Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Wimbledon, London, UK. Posts: 1,465	Re: Telescopic antenna restoration. RadioShack was called Tandy in the UK. I didn't know that they had any shops with the RadioShack name at all on this side of the Atlantic. You could have a look at the Tandy web-site (http://www.tandyonline.co.uk/), but I couldn't see anything under "telescopic" and only co-ax cable and plugs under "Aerial".

1st Apr 2015, 9:59 am	#10
Mike Phelan Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Near Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK Posts: 4,609	Re: Telescopic antenna restoration. I think you will have to have a go yourself, as camtechman's take on the labour cost would be more than the equipment is worth. __________________ Mike.

1st Apr 2015, 9:23 pm	#11
mark_in_manc Octode Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 1,874	Re: Telescopic antenna restoration. Typing 'telescopic magnet' into ebay yields 1500 hits, many of which are different from one another. One can make knobbly bits for the ends by spinning short lengths of rod material in a drill chuck against abrasive paper, in the lack of a lathe.

3rd Apr 2015, 3:22 pm	#13
ColinTheAmpMan1 Octode Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Wimbledon, London, UK. Posts: 1,465	Re: Telescopic antenna restoration. Well, my flabber is well-and-truly gasted! They even have the right "R" logo. I wonder if there are any more oddities like that in the RadioShack/Tandy world. Is it possible that "Tandy" means something rude in Lancashire dialect?