AM antenna plastic clamp missing: any alternate methods to hold it down?

[monkboughtlunch]

I'm missing one of the two plastic holders for the AM ferrite antenna rod. The remaining plastic one is yellowed and brittle. Has anyone found or fashioned a replacement? If so, care to share the approach used?

 

[ncwalz]

I use the zip ties that have provision for a mounting screw.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00X...g_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TG56DCS187X4TV15EKF7

 

[gadget73]

Plastic cable straps will do the job nicely too. Thats what the original is.

 

[monkboughtlunch]

Plastic cable straps will do the job nicely too. Thats what the original is.

Thanks - has anyone sourced a part/model number that is an exact replacement size?

 

[audiotemp]

deleted

 

[rufleruf]

I've bought these at hardware stores and electronics stores. With a little hunting you can find them in white - I haven't seen any that are clear like I suspect the originals were.

 

[larryderouin]

Home Depot usually has them. Measure the diameter of the antenna, then get a size that's slightly larger plus the size measured. The holes for the screw/bolt are usually either too close or too far apart, so get a set larger and the same size and use the set that fits the best.

 

[monkboughtlunch]

The Fisher ferrite rod antenna measured 5/8" in diameter. I purchased Morris #22422 5/8" plastic cable clamps in "natural color." (Note the typo on the packaging below "Natual" -- Ha Ha!) The Morris spec sheet lists an operating temperature range of -66 F to 340 F, so they shouldn't have any problem withstanding the heat from the output transformers.

One of the original Fisher antenna screws had stripped threads so I picked up a couple of stainless steel screws and nut replacements. The original Fisher screws were #6-32 1/2", so I got the same size.

Below are photos of the results. Everything fit just fine and it looks very close to the original OEM clamps. I suspect when new the original Fisher plastic clamps were not yellowed and brittle.



Below: Morris #22422 cable clamp (white) next to original Fisher supplied clamp



Below: Morris #22422 cable clamp (white) next to original Fisher supplied clamp



Below: These stainless steel screws were an exact size replacement for the original screws Fisher supplied. (One of my original screws had stripped threads and wouldn't accept a nut, hence the need for new ones.)

 

[luvvinvinyl]

Beauty! Good for another 30 years.

 

[monkboughtlunch]

The Fisher receivers with AM section have terminals for an external AM antenna. Has anyone tried an external AM antenna with their Fisher? If so, to what extent did it improve on the supplied ferrite rod antenna?

 

[larryderouin]

It doesn't really kick in unless you have an outside long wire or no local stuff and a 20-25ft wire outside in a straight line as high as you can get the horizontal part. But you DO need to ground the unit to a grounding pole struck into the ground to give you a ground plane.

 

[I LIKE MUSIC]

Any outside antenna needs to grounded per the NEC for safety.

 

[monkboughtlunch]

Would an indoor Terk Antenna like this one or an Eton like this one connected to the Fisher AM screw terminals offer any improvement over the stock Fisher ferrite rod antenna?

https://www.amazon.com/Terk-Indoor-AM-Antenna-ADVANTAGE/dp/B000069EUW



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PNNXGO

 

[larryderouin]

Unless the tuner has been aligned by a shop that knows how to do these(and a lot don't), the Terk usually won't show any improvement over the ferrite rod except in the fact that it can be rotated, which is a hell of a sight easier than rotating the unit itself.

 

[fred soop]

That appears to be simply an enclosed coil almost identical to the open coil on my ancient Silvertone table radio. Good as it was, a long wire external antenna was a great improvement. It may be better than the ferrite rod coil because it is a much larger diameter and may be totally air core (as was the Silvertone).