Making homemade antenna for Sony ICF-7600GR

[RedPenguin]

If you are trying to make a "random wire" antenna for the Sony ICF-7600GR and are using a mono plug meaning just the tip and barrel, not having 3 correctors like headphones, should you keep both wires separated or connect both the tip and barrel connections?

I can't seem to find the specifications for the external antenna jack.

I noticed that one connector always seems to be dead. I mean, one connector, it acts as an antenna, if you put it on the other connector, it is just silence, no antenna action going on.

Also, why is this? I noticed when I hook up the ends together, it works wonderful on FM, but 850 WNTJ which is our local news talk channel, is almost completely silent.
I thought at first, the antenna was only for AM, but I notice, I can only get in some FM stations by plugging in an external antenna of some kind.

 

[ka3jjz]

This should be in the antennas forum, Red...Lou if you're reading this, please move it.

Yes, in most cases the tip is hot, the barrel is ground. For a random wire, I'd put that directly to the tip, and if you have a good RF ground - and believe me, it's not easy to make one of those - that's to where the barrel would be connected. 73s Mike

 

[gcgrotz]

On the 7600, at least on my old "F" version, neither the whip or the external jack is used for medium (AM broadcast) wave or long wave (below AM broadcast), only the built in ferrite loop - which works very well by the way. FM uses the built-in whip, not positive but I think it passes through the external jack too.

Clipping 25 feet of wire to the whip will have the same effect as plugging in the external jack and will save you the trouble of having to solder it. And yes, the tip of the plug is hot so if you connect the same wire to both the tip and barrel you will effectively short out the antenna. If you had a coax fed antenna, the shield and center conductor would go to a 1/8" mono plug and into the jack.

Radio Shack still (I think) sells the reel-up wire antenna with a clip for your whip.

Good luck and have fun. The 7600 is a great radio.

 

[eorange]

My new 7600GR should be arriving in the next few hours.

Meanwhile, I've read the .pdf version of the manual, and it says the external AM antenna jack supplies voltage for use with active loop antennas. So I wouldn't try a random wire using that jack unless you're absolutely sure of the pinout.

 

[RedPenguin]

Hmmm I see

I was very nervous, and wanted to find out this answer once and for all, and I called Sony Tech Support twice and both representatives said that it conducts NO POWER at all, it's just for reception and there is no way to short it out at all.

And one E-Mail from Sony Tech Support to make the 3rd response.

"Thank you for contacting Sony Online Support.

Please let me tell you that your external headphone jack does not supply any voltage.

No, it does not have the ability to short out causing damage to the radio.

Yes, the external jack covers AM,FM, MW, LW, and SW.

If you need any further assistance then please do contact us.

We would be glad to assist you further.

Thank you for the opportunity to be of assistance."

 

[eorange]

Please let me tell you that your external headphone jack does not supply any voltage.

Do you think they meant "antenna" jack, not "headphone"?

Anyway, on P. 35 of the manual, at the 2nd bullet point under "Notes", says the AM EXT ANT jack outputs DC voltage. So I don't know what to tell you, other than the included roll-up wire IS a random wire, and probably provides the same performance as going through the jack.

Note I said probably, because I just got the radio and am still playing with it.

 

[RedPenguin]

Hmm

Well when I called they said the external antenna jack doesn't do voltage it's only for reception but I will look again. I didn't notice that in their email, darn.

 

[mancow]

If it does have voltage present could it be there to power an external active type antenna?

 

[eorange]

Yes, exactly - that's what the manual says. The only way to know for sure is to plug in a 1/8" plug with a pigtail (bare wires) and measure for voltage.

If it were me, I'd tend to stay on the cautious side and trust the manual.