Aerial / Antenna with spade terminals

[the record spot]

A mini-ongoing saga here; my latest ebay purchase arrived the other day; a Sansui TU317 tuner from about 1978, (that's the date of manufacture, not postage by the bye...), however, the aerial connection at the back are suitable for spade terminals only; no phono socket inputs (except for the audio out connections).

Having shopped round a bit (Maplin and online info) I can't readily clap hands on an antenna which is suitable - none to date have the spade terminals I need.

Any suggestions? I've rigged up a basic thing that lets me get Radio 3, but it could be much better (wire and a crimp basically); are there any manufacturers who produce such a thing? Can't be that rare surely?! The sound is good on a signal strength of about 2.5, but on 5 (max), I'm sure it would be really impressive.

(Or maybe they are - da da daaaaaaah!)

PS - did I mention it's got meters to indicate signal strength and tuning? Oh my lord, it's like going back in time!!!

 

[chebby]

The screw down spade connectors on your tuner are 300 ohm. The FM roof antenna you are going to get installed (ideally you should) will be using double screened standard 75 ohm coaxial.

So you could get something like this.....

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=5145&doy=21m7&C=SO&U=strat15

And connect it to the Sansui with a short length of this...

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=285&doy=21m7&C=SO&U=strat15

Or, you could make a simple indoor 'dipole' or ribbon aerial with thin 'figure of eight' type speaker cable like QED 42 strand and fix it to a picture rail (assuming you are in a strong reception area)......

http://www.electronics-radio.com/articles/radio/antennas/dipole/fm-dipole-antenna.php

Or buy one of these 300ohm FM ribbon aerials (pick the one with spade connectors) for £1.67...

http://www.mkcables.com/fm-ribbon-aerial-with-spade-connectors-p-1883.html?currency=GBP

or....

Leave it to the aerial installer to provide the correct connections/adaptors. (They can even connect 75 ohm coax with a headphone type mini-jack like the Sony world band radios have for FM antenna connection.)

 

[the record spot]

Hey chebby - thanks for the reply (and for letting me know) - completely forgot to recheck. This'll come in handy; amazed so few places have aerials with spade terminals in stock - even small independent traditional (old style!) retailers couldn't help much.

Would prefer to get a decent aerial though; I've used the ribbon type in the past and it's okay, but would lik something a little better this time round. Beggars can't be choosers alas...!

 

[chebby]

NP.

Assuming you have your own property (and assuming it is not a high-rise flat) then getting an FM aerial fitted to your existing aerial mast is the best course of action. It does not cost a lot. I recently had a completely new mast, digital TV aerial and FM aerial installed for £190 inc VAT. It will cost you even less if you only need the FM aerial installed on an existing rig.

For advice on aerial types see Hifi World magazine (current August edition) page 24.

This site.... http://www.aerialsandtv.com/fmanddabradio.html#ATVsChoiceOfFM&DABAerials ...is a mine of information about all things 'aerial' and is authoritative and sane and occasionally funny. (Written by someone who installs aerials for a living.)

 

[the record spot]

I subscribe to HFW and you've reminded me of the article - thanks! It arrived at the right time I think. I'll have a look and see what I can get; we rent the place we're in just now so might have to get permission to put up an external aerial, though internally, I could put one in the loft (or get someone to do it who knows the best location in our part of the city to receive a good signal).

We might be slightly compromised by our position - we have a famous hill in Edinburgh called Arthur's Seat right behind us. Great setting, but I'm not sure how much it impacts on our signal overall. The small Matsui in the kitchen doesn't have too many problems though and gets R4 and radio Scotland fine, so don't anticipate any major frights here.

My biggest issue is getting the aerial going into the amp using spade terminals - very surprised not one shop had anything locally, so either I get something online, make my own, or get a local company involved who could put a good one together. I'll have a think (scratches head...)!

 

[chebby]

the record spot:My biggest issue is getting the aerial going into the amp using spade terminals - very surprised not one shop had anything locally, so either I get something online, make my own, or get a local company involved who could put a good one together. I'll have a think (scratches head...)!

To connect standard 75 ohm coaxial cable from the aerial to your spade terminals (and to transform the impedance from 75ohm to 300 ohm) order one of these from your local Maplin.....

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=5145&doy=21m7&C=SO&U=strat15

And from Maplin (again) buy a short length of this 300ohm balanced cable which will attach easily to the screw down terminals on the adaptor and the screw terminals on the back of your Sansui tuner...

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=285&doy=21m7&C=SO&U=strat15

the record spot:We might be slightly compromised by our position - we have a famous hill in Edinburgh called Arthur's Seat right behind us. Great setting, but I'm not sure how much it impacts on our signal overall.

Your main transmitters should be either "Black Hill" or Craig Kelly. With UHF (and to a lesser degree FM) the basic principle of 'line of sight' generally applies for maximum signal. So check out a Google map for your area and see which transmitter applies to you. Or phone a local aerial fitters who can tell you. Alternatively check out your immediately local skyline and see which way the aerials point. FM radio aerials are all vertically polarised nowadays so a simple vertically oriented dipole should do the job and not be too fussy about which way it points. (Unlike UHF television signals.)

 

[the record spot]

Yep, I recall the BBC announcers many years ago talking about the Blackhill and Craigkelly transmitters. Usually when it was shutting down for maintenance!

I'll check out the adapter you mentioned, worth a punt I think. Cheers again!