Panasonic RF 2200

[spongella]

Join the RF-2200 Yahoo users group, they may have some leads. There is a service manual and if you have the proper test equipment you can do it yourself. I aligned my Panasonic DR-22 (the RF2200's European cousin) but I am not in the business.

I think there is a fellow who aligns them, that would be found on the RF-2200 site.

Is the radio not working properly?

 

[yaesu_dave]

I found an RF 2200 today at a local flea market for $15. I'm very new at this and I wanted to see if I could find a cheap used alternative before buying anything new, and I figured even if it didn't work for fifteen dollars it was worth a look. When I put batteries in it powered up. It does very well with FM, but AM and sw not so much. This afternoon with it indoors I get only static and whistling on AM and sw. Outside I got a few AM stations, or what sounded like the same two stations on different frequencies, and still nothing on sw. Tonight I did get some faint stations on sw, but only on sw1 and sw2, and no AM at all. So, is there anything I can do to improve reception? I'm not sure if I'm capable of cleaning the inside as I've read some have done. Any suggestions?

The problems you experienced with your RF-2200 are exactly the same problems I had with the RF-2200 I bought on eBay earlier this year. When I first put batteries in the radio, all the dial lights lit up but there was no sound on any of the bands other than static and whistling. I had to clean all the radio's pots and switches TWICE with De-Oxit and let the radio sit overnight before my RF-2200 finally sprang to life. I now use it as one of my primary AM DX radios, and everything that's been said about the MW performance of the RF-2200 is true. I'm glad I took the time to thoroughly clean all the pots and switches before assuming that the radio was DOA. Electronics from the 1970's and early 1980's don't get better with age, so it's always a good idea to give these radios a through cleaning and deoxidizing before use.

 

[Boombox]

I'm glad I took the time to thoroughly clean all the pots and switches before assuming that the radio was DOA. Electronics from the 1970's and early 1980's don't get better with age, so it's always a good idea to give these radios a through cleaning and deoxidizing before use.

The particular problem with the Panasonics and Sonys of that era was the extensive use of slide switches, which were highly prone to oxidation over time, and (at least in the case of the Sony I have that refuses to operate on SW) difficult to reach with a nozzle -- on top of that, the way the switches were linked to the actual button on the front of the radio sometimes made for questionable contact, which doesn't help much.

Glad to hear you were able to get your 2200 to work. My 5900W still is only partially working. Not one of Sony's best efforts. :-(

 

[pjxii]

Good catch! You might want to try using it somewhere away from homes as a test. There is a lot of electronics today that makes RF noise that can interfere with AM and SW. Also remember SW works much better at night. Also for SW try attaching a 10 foot or so piece of wire to the Ground screw and lay it on the ground as mentioned above. Here are some more tips:
Improve Shortwave Reception - Tips For Better Shortwave Reception

Good advice! A properly working RF-2200 will amaze you on MW when you get it away from an urban/suburban area, expecially during the daytime long before skywave makes any AM radio appear to be a DX machine...

 

[spongella]

Lots of info on the 2200 can be found on the RF2200 Yahoo user's group. Even some early advertisements. It was also known as the Cougar 2200 in some countries.