Perhaps to some. If you were to encase a vintage tuner inside a pretty modern aluminum and steel case, would it interfere with signal reception at all?
I appreciate classic looks, retro, and also modern. Even a combination of the two can blend and become droolworthy'.
A bit more detail will hopefully get to what Ive been babbling about.
I have a classic tuner thats kinda beet up and rather ugly, except for the face and controls.
I have really nice case thats been sitting around doing nothing, and I thought about cutting a precise rectangle out of the aluminum front just big enough to slide the tuners face through to protrude just so.
Id secure it inside appropriately and all should be good? Will it hamper reception as line as the antenna runs out as usual?
I appreciate classic looks, retro, and also modern. Even a combination of the two can blend and become droolworthy'.
A bit more detail will hopefully get to what Ive been babbling about.
I have a classic tuner thats kinda beet up and rather ugly, except for the face and controls.
I have really nice case thats been sitting around doing nothing, and I thought about cutting a precise rectangle out of the aluminum front just big enough to slide the tuners face through to protrude just so.
Id secure it inside appropriately and all should be good? Will it hamper reception as line as the antenna runs out as usual?
It should be fine with an external aerial.
Just one caveat that probably wont apply... radio circuits are often aligned 'in situ' meaning that any stray capacitance and so on is taken care of and accounted for. Moving to a metal enclosure could conceivably (well theoretically) slightly alter the alignment of some of the tuned circuits. The same thing applies to the components in the tuner section... never physically move them (such as straightening a pushed over cap etc) because you could alter the alignment.
Go for it
Just one caveat that probably wont apply... radio circuits are often aligned 'in situ' meaning that any stray capacitance and so on is taken care of and accounted for. Moving to a metal enclosure could conceivably (well theoretically) slightly alter the alignment of some of the tuned circuits. The same thing applies to the components in the tuner section... never physically move them (such as straightening a pushed over cap etc) because you could alter the alignment.
Go for it
The kind of thing that one feels he needn't give a specific description for already sensing a brief albeit satisfactory level of communication so I chanced it.
Excessive stroking of keys further aggravates him.
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If the circuit is such that putting a metal box near it is going to affect the alignment etc. then putting some insulation between the circuit and the metal (but otherwise keeping the same spacing from the circuit to the metal) could make things worse, as most substances have higher permittivity than air.
Try putting a sheet of aluminium near the circuit, and see what happens. If you haven't got some, try using your hand instead - but keep it well away from high voltage points. It will probably be fine. If not, you need to use a big enough box that the metal does not get too close to the circuit.
Try putting a sheet of aluminium near the circuit, and see what happens. If you haven't got some, try using your hand instead - but keep it well away from high voltage points. It will probably be fine. If not, you need to use a big enough box that the metal does not get too close to the circuit.
You should have no problem putting a vintage tuner inside a metal box providing the following are observed.
I assume "vintage" implies that it uses vacuum tubes. If so the box should allow for enough ventilation to prevent excessive heat build up.
The FM radio section is the most critical with respect to stray capacitance. As stated you should not physically move any components, or mount the unit such that there is metal near (1/2 inch or so) the components in the "front end" circuitry if there was no metal there before. The "font end" will be the circuitry near the tuning capacitor (the thing that moves when the tuning dial is turned) or the circuitry that the antenna is connected to.
Many radios and tuners used an internal antenna for AM radio reception. This can be a coil of wire, often woven into the back cover, or wound around a ferrite rod. The ferrite rod antenna was often called a loopstick. If the tuner uses one of these type of antennas it must be placed outside the box and several inches away from it, unless an external AM antenna is also used.
Adding a piece of rubber material between the tuner parts and the metal box will not eliminate the effect of metal proximity, and may in fact make it worse since it has a higher dielectric constant than air.
The metal box must be grounded via a 3 wire power cord. This prevents the case from becoming electrified in the event of a short circuit.
I assume "vintage" implies that it uses vacuum tubes. If so the box should allow for enough ventilation to prevent excessive heat build up.
The FM radio section is the most critical with respect to stray capacitance. As stated you should not physically move any components, or mount the unit such that there is metal near (1/2 inch or so) the components in the "front end" circuitry if there was no metal there before. The "font end" will be the circuitry near the tuning capacitor (the thing that moves when the tuning dial is turned) or the circuitry that the antenna is connected to.
Many radios and tuners used an internal antenna for AM radio reception. This can be a coil of wire, often woven into the back cover, or wound around a ferrite rod. The ferrite rod antenna was often called a loopstick. If the tuner uses one of these type of antennas it must be placed outside the box and several inches away from it, unless an external AM antenna is also used.
Adding a piece of rubber material between the tuner parts and the metal box will not eliminate the effect of metal proximity, and may in fact make it worse since it has a higher dielectric constant than air.
The metal box must be grounded via a 3 wire power cord. This prevents the case from becoming electrified in the event of a short circuit.
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