Is this a radio antenna

[violarules]

Hello, all. I recently purchased a house built in 1928. The original owner was a policeman, and the house has an antenna that his scanner radio used (his grandson sold me the house). There is what is clearly an antenna outlet in the "radio" room, which looks like a 1/4 plug, but I don't know what this plug might be, which is in a bedroom on the second floor. Is it possibly another antenna outlet?

 

[KC0QNB]

Could be never seen one like that though, unscrew the plate and let us know what is in there if anything, but use caution it could be "hot"

 

[k9rzz]

That's an 'octal' plug. 8 pins ... like the bottom of a vacuum tube. They make female sockets to match (well, used to make). Get your screwdriver out and pull it out to see what's back there. Look in the basement, below that socket ... see what kind of wire is going up the wall. Certainly you could pull that wire out and put in your own coax and socket in it's place!

 

[k9rzz]

If you look at the pins, only four are soldered.

 

[KC0QNB]

Is the house in town or in the country? I am wondering if that may a relic from the 32 volt dc days. There would have been a battery bank somewhere probably in the basement that were charged by a windcharger.

 

[violarules]

Thanks for all of your quick responses!

I pulled it out and there five wires connected to it. It's on the back of the house, where, come to think of it, I remember seeing one of the antenna wires enter. How would I connect those wires to a coax cable? Would it be suitable for TV reception?

 

[KC0QNB]

Easy way is to get a new blank plate drill a hole 5/8" diameter, get a uhf bulkhead connector run your antenna feed line to the inside connection (wall side) then connect your radio cable to the outside (room side) of the connection. here is a link to a bulkhead connector you can buy better than that just wanted you to see what to get.
Now then for the scantenna users, they will reply, get an "F" connector on a wallplate and use the same idea.

 

[violarules]

Okay, dumb question: How do I tell which wire(s) to hook into the UHF bulkhead?

 

[KC0QNB]

You don't buy new or good used and coax and use that, yes that means having to pull the cable from point a to point b. Chances are that the connector you have or the wires are no good anymore, or aren't connected to anything anyway.

 

[violarules]

Ok, but I can see the cable enter the wall from the outside, and the antenna is not more than 10 feet from where the cable enters the wall. Total cable length from antenna to outlet is maybe 10-15 feet at the most. Assuming the old cable is still good, how would I go about determining which wires to use?

 

[MrRevesz]

From the looks of it, you'll need new wire.... It doesn't seem possible to use unless they make some sort of adapter

 

[KC0QNB]

Somebody else's turn.

 

[violarules]

Ok, thanks for all your help, guys!

 

[Northe]

There is what is clearly an antenna outlet in the "radio" room, which looks like a 1/4 plug, but I don't know what this plug might be, which is in a bedroom on the second floor. Is it possibly another antenna outlet?

My guess is that it is a connection for an antenna rotator cable rather than for an antenna feedline.

Northe
N6KO
Green Valley AZ

 

[poltergeisty]

Looks like a built in mic. plug.

 

[SLWilson]

Looks....

My guess is that it is a connection for an antenna rotator cable rather than for an antenna feedline.

Northe
N6KO
Green Valley AZ

It looks more like a rotor connection (or a mike plug) of some sort. I've seen some pretty OLD antenna connections over the years, but, nothing like that one for an antenna....

Steve/KB8FAR

 

[KE5MC]

Ok, but I can see the cable enter the wall from the outside, and the antenna is not more than 10 feet from where the cable enters the wall. Total cable length from antenna to outlet is maybe 10-15 feet at the most. Assuming the old cable is still good, how would I go about determining which wires to use?

Take a close-up picture of the wire connection at the antenna. Then a second picture to show as much of the antenna as possible without losing detail. Post both like you did with the wall socket. Wait for answers.

Take a picture of the back of the socket too.

 

[emercer]

Looks like an antenna rotator connection to me as well.