All this talk about shop radios

Northeast Puller · Jan 25, 2016

All this talk about shop radios.
I got me to thinking why every radio that I have tossed out. Whether it was a boom box or full blown house type stereo was because you could not regulate the volume. It was either to low or to loud and while finding the sweet spot you would get scratchy static or no response or blaring or low in all ranges of the volume control. I have tried blowing out the dust. But that did nothing for me. Is there a fix for this?

44 massey · Jan 25, 2016

I like to have a radio on in the shop but my shop is metal covered and fluorescent lights and getting a good constant sign is a problem especially in the winter with everything closed!!! Have tried numerous different radios with no luck, local fm stations!!! Anyone use external antennas and what style ??

David G · Jan 25, 2016

The reason they do that is because the graphite in the volume control comes loose, I will thunk them good a few times with my fingernail and have shot tuner cleaner in the pots.

Geo-TH,In · Jan 25, 2016

I've done the same with wd40.

casecollectorsc · Jan 25, 2016

I take a piece of speaker wire and put a couple wraps on the radio antenna and outside to the underside of the steel roof overhang and attach a screw to the roof with the wire wrapped around the screw. Improves 100%.

S/C BOB · Jan 25, 2016

With the radio off if it has a volume button crank the knob all the way open and off a few times this has helped on mine before.

David G · Jan 25, 2016

Yes, working it helps for a while, turn and thunk, this knocks the loose graphite off the wiper.

Brad Buchanan · Jan 25, 2016

I had the same problem in my steel 'arch' building (40'x60').

I bought the cheapest outside tv antenna from radio shack and ran the flat wire from the rooftop to the radio and wrapped one of the wires around the antenna on the radio.

Problem solved.

Brad

Ron-MO · Jan 25, 2016

Best solution is to disconnect power, remove cover where you can see the pot (volume or other controls), and spray those controls with electronic cleaner. Probably getting harder to come by, but should be available. The issue is normally just dust in those controls. I have done a ton of those back in the day when I used to repair older tvs and stereos. The old rotary tuners in televisions required them to be cleaned occasionally. WD 40 will sometimes work, but my experience is that it leaves a oily residue which causes the issue to reappear sooner since it seems to attract dust, and it does not take much to cause this issue. Just a light spray while rotating the controls normally does the trick.

Bill in IL · Jan 25, 2016

Ron has the right idea but in the absence of electronics cleaner I would use alcohol. Dab a few drops in there and work the knob, few more drops. Try to flush the dirt out as much as possible. That's is where the electronics cleaner in a spray bottle is very helpful.

jeffcat · Jan 25, 2016

The best thing in the radio / TV repair shop was a spray can called { Blue Stuff}. That would fix every noisey volume control like magic! If you look at the other shop radio listing I posted about the car radio I have in my kitchen. The newer radios are all digital. When you turn the volume up or down there is NO noise from junky controls any more. Any car radio from American cars about 1998 and up are digital controls. If anyone needs help hooking one up I can most likely help ya. They work quite nicely. The after market plugs you can buy at the local car parts place are all labled with the connections so it is pretty simple.

K Effective · Jan 25, 2016

I carry a pocket radio with me nearly every minute on the farm. I have been using a Sangean DT400 with weather alert, about a $60 radio. Digital tuning is important to keep a weak signal. Lately, the volume control has been the weak link to that radio. I've had some fail in less than 90 days. The company keeps repairing or replacing the radio, but I have to pay to send it in and wait for it's return. I have tried so spray clean them to no avail.

Jim Naden · Jan 26, 2016

(quoted from post at 05:49:48 01/25/16) I like to have a radio on in the shop but my shop is metal covered and fluorescent lights and getting a good constant sign is a problem especially in the winter with everything closed!!! Have tried numerous different radios with no luck, local fm stations!!! Anyone use external antennas and what style ??

Use an outside antenna with quad shielded coax to prevent the fluorescent lights from interfering with the signal in the coax.

All this talk about shop radios

Northeast Puller

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44 massey

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David G

Well-known Member

Geo-TH,In

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casecollectorsc

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S/C BOB

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David G

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Brad Buchanan

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Ron-MO

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Bill in IL

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jeffcat

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K Effective

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Jim Naden

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