Help with Sansui z-3000x

[pronoob101]

Hello! New to the forums so I hope I don't mess something up here.

I have a nice Sansui Z-3000x that was sitting in my basement for many years in it's box, so a few days ago, I decided that it could act as a nice fm radio in my workshop area.

Most everything works on it except for one thing. It will not tune to any FM station clearly when the "TUNING/FM MODE" button is set to "AUTO/STEREO". Interestingly, it will tune to a few AM stations (albeit not in stereo) and one or two static FM stations. The tuner plays just fine when in "MANUAL/MONO" mode, but I lose the stereo capabilities this tuner offers.

My guess is dirty contacts.

I can post pictures if anyone needs/wants them.

Any help is greatly appreciated

 

[larryderouin]

Do you have an external antenna connected???? Manual /MONO will pick up stations because the Multiplex decoder is being bypassed. The AUTO/.STEREO needs a signal that is a couple orders of magnitude stronger to pick up thru the Multiplex decoder. You'll need about 20-30 ft of wire for the AM antenna, string it up in the rafters perpendicular to the direction of the AM stations.

If no antenna, google DIY FM ANTENNA. There are tons of designs that are fairly easy to build and get decent reception. Hook it up to the FM ANTENNA (300ohm) connectors. If it has a 75ohm cable connection you'll need what's called a 300ohm to 75ohm converter or BALUN. Most are 75 to 300 but the other way can be found online.

 

[pronoob101]

I do have a homemade fm antenna connected to the 75 ohm connectors with a coax cable I sacrificed (the way sansui says to do in the manual) since it has a built in 300-75 ohm adapter on it already. It is inside, but originally it was in the attic of my garage.