Tighten antenna?
 

Some of you may have read about the small cab fire in my 1970 F350 when my body man was welding in new front cab mounts. I had/have some electrical gremlins since then.

One problem, which is minor, is my radio. It would cut out as I was driving. I thought maybe the cable to the antenna may have been fried or had some insulation burned off. Well, today I noticed that when I was parked the radio played fine. So I got out and jiggled the antenna and the radio cut out. The antenna is quite loose.

How do I get under there to tighten it? I assume there is a nut under the cowl. It is not accessible from the hood and there is some panel blocking it from under the dash. I did see a small hole in this panel. Is this how I am to do it?

Please let me know. It is no big deal. Where I live in the mountains I only get one AM Station, but I sure don't want my antenna falling off.

thanks!

The two that I took off, I had to pop the chrome cover off of the base and there were 4 screws under it. You pull the whole cable out through the top of the cowl.

http://dennis-carpenter.com/radio-an.../C7TZ-18813-A/

The actual center conductor wire is very very thin. Look and or feel for any kinks or pinched points.

My bet would be that the outer and inner insulator is melted leaving the center conductor exposed and when you wiggle the antenna, that wire is grounding out.

I hope he didn't replace your antenna with one of those Universal ones the same time he replaced your heater box. They have a center bezel/nut and don't work well.

Thanks, D & D. That diagram is excellent. I thought maybe the chrome piece pops off but I have broken things before that I thought pop off! I will tackle that tomorrow.

Jeff, the antenna was not replaced. It is the old rusty original one just like in the Carpenter diagram.

thanks!

I popped off the chrome piece that covers the antenna joint. Guess what..... there were only 2 screw used. There was not even 4 holes drilled! I guess this was a idea.er installed option and the kid doing the radio installation got lazy and only drilled 2 holes. No wonder it wobbles.

I pulled the antenna up to check the condition of the cable. It is black and charred. Do you think if i coat it with liquid tape, that would fix it? I don't feel like taking out the glove box and lying on my back upside down under the dash to install a new cable..... and where would I get one nowadays?

I'd say yes as long as it not grounding itself out with the center wire touching the shielded braid. Or Even maybe some of the black 1/4" spilt wire loom covering.

Orich

Update: I took out the two screws that were holding the antenna on and I coated the cable with liquid tape where it was charred. Then I drilled two more holes and added two screws to better secure the antenna like it should have been on day one.

My radio plays fine now, that is the one AM station I can get comes in loud and clear with no static or cutting out.

Thanks for the help.