What happens if you don't use the ground connection next to the antenna connection on an old antique radio (1931 model)? How will this effect reception??

Hi John

If it's an AC operated radio, not much. The AC line often has caps to the chassis of a radio and acts as a ground. Even if there are no caps coupling withing a transformer supplies some ground.

An actual ground connection will help reduce certain type of interference.

Norm

:What happens if you don't use the ground connection next to the antenna connection on an old antique radio (1931 model)? How will this effect reception??

Norm,
I keep getting this buzzing (sounds like an electric razor or when you get close to high tension lines with your car). Sometimes it buzzs soon after turn on and sometimes the radio will run fine for 15 or even 30 minutes then do this real loud buzzing. When it buzzs I can turn the buzz sound down to zero with the volume control and sometimes I can make it go away if I tune to another station. The radio is a US Radio Corp Model 26P and I have changed the power supply caps and all of the 24's as well as subbing a 5Z3 for the 280.

:Hi John
:
: If it's an AC operated radio, not much. The AC line often has caps to the chassis of a radio and acts as a ground. Even if there are no caps coupling withing a transformer supplies some ground.
:
: An actual ground connection will help reduce certain type of interference.
:
:Norm
:
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:
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::What happens if you don't use the ground connection next to the antenna connection on an old antique radio (1931 model)? How will this effect reception??

Hi John

Buzzing is most likely external interference. Lights, computers, motors and just about anything else electrical can cause interference. Try turning off lights, computer etc. These radios are more sensitive to interference than modern ones.

Norm

:Norm,
:I keep getting this buzzing (sounds like an electric razor or when you get close to high tension lines with your car). Sometimes it buzzs soon after turn on and sometimes the radio will run fine for 15 or even 30 minutes then do this real loud buzzing. When it buzzs I can turn the buzz sound down to zero with the volume control and sometimes I can make it go away if I tune to another station. The radio is a US Radio Corp Model 26P and I have changed the power supply caps and all of the 24's as well as subbing a 5Z3 for the 280.
:
::Hi John
::
:: If it's an AC operated radio, not much. The AC line often has caps to the chassis of a radio and acts as a ground. Even if there are no caps coupling withing a transformer supplies some ground.
::
:: An actual ground connection will help reduce certain type of interference.
::
::Norm
::
::
::
::
::
:::What happens if you don't use the ground connection next to the antenna connection on an old antique radio (1931 model)? How will this effect reception??

I've had that happen with radios where all of a sudden there is this loud buzzing sound, and then it goes away, and then sometimes it comes back. Could be anything really, but it often comes from fluorescents we have running in our basement all the time. When I turn them off, it goes away. Usually fluorescents cause a constant buzz, if they cause one at all, but sometimes they cause this occasional thing. Light dimmers cause quite a regular buzz that increases when you dim the lights. Microwaves create the same buzz as fluorescents and dimmers, but it comes and goes. I've even gotten some wild hums, not at all like the former buzzes, that come from my computer and its noise reduction/surge protector thingie that we had it plugged into. Now that we don't have the surge protector thingie anymore, I don't get any problems from my computer anymore.

Probably the best antenna you can ever erect, if you have the type of radio that requires erecting an antenna, is the V-Doublet antenna. By taking a regular long wire antenna and splitting it in half, and then connecting V lead in wires about four feet on either side of center, and connecting each V wire to one side of a 300 ohm flat television antenna lead-in, and then connecting this to the primary of your antenna coil, the ballanced system tends to eliminate a lot of interferance. One side of the antenna should go to one side of the flat lead-in, and the other should go to the other side. If your radio does not have provision for a V-Doublet system, disconnect the primary of the antenna coil from the chassis connection it makes within the radio. Connect each end of the antenna coil primary to the lead-in. Since the lead-in wires run next to eachother, any interferance that enters one also enters the other. The signals meet 180 degrees out of phase when they enter the antenna coil. Since this happens, the interferance signals cancel out. A normal radio with a long wire antenna uses the long wire as one side of the antenna coil and uses ground as the other side of the antenna coil. Ground is not really ground, but the other side of the antenna. Earth serves as a huge antenna. A lot of interferance is found in the earth, though. By ballancing the antenna system so that the two sides of the antenna coil primary are connected to two halves of a ballanced antenna, instead of one side connected to ground, you still have a very good antenna without the ground connection. Try disconnecting any condensers within the radio that connect the radio chassis to the line cord. See if this helps any. If this does not improve the static situation, but makes the signal quieter, leave the condensers connected. If this antenna system does not prove to be effective for your radio, put the radio back to the way it was. I have always had great success with the V-Doublet on radios designed to handle one, though. Reception is often static free even with a light dimmer on.

Thomas