53 radio woes

harry54
harry54 Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
My 53 Hornet is having radio woes... I just changed my radio to a refurbished unit and still have problems. It lights up and hums but no sound or reception. How often does an antenna go bad ? What about speakers ? I 'm thinking that I should replace both . Any recomendation's on a fender antenna ? Any recomendation's on a replacement speaker ? ty

Comments

  • Uncle Josh
    Uncle Josh Senior Contributor
    I'd get a 'sparky' friend who understands radios and has the equipment to check them out to look at it. May be a bad tube, solder joint, paper capacitor etc.
  • MikeWA
    MikeWA Senior Contributor
    If its a refurbished unit, check out the peripherals first. Disconnect the car speaker and substitute another- any speaker will work for the test. Unless you're really out in the boonies, you should get some sound (at least static) even without an antenna. I'd suspect speaker (or more probably, the wire connecting it), if you're getting no sound at all (except hum from the radio itself).
  • RonS
    RonS Senior Contributor
    I believe that a failed vibrator will cause the same symptom. New solid state vibrators are available and usually are purchased separately from tube kits seen for sale on Ebay etc.
  • harry54
    harry54 Senior Contributor
    the speaker that is in there now is 8 ohm..... does that seem correct ?
  • MikeWA
    MikeWA Senior Contributor
    Virtually every speaker is 8 ohm, at least the automotive type. I think house variety are, as well.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    harry54 wrote:
    the speaker that is in there now is 8 ohm..... does that seem correct ?



    The OEM Hudson speaker is 4 Ohms. If the radio is using an 8 ohm speaker there will be an impedence mismatch. The outcome is fed back into the radio. Radio Shack has carried the correct 4 ohm speakers in the past.



    If I understand your problem correctly, you had a radio fail, you replaced it with a known good radio and the result is still not output sound.



    Suggestions:



    1. Assure the antenna connector that connects to the radio is intact. What this means is the center connnector is tight and that the external braid is soldered to the shell of the connector. If you have a multimeter... check the connections the antenna mast should be shorted to the center conductor and the shield should be shorted to the automobile ground. NO SHORT between the shield and the center conductor.



    2. Roof mount antennas, check the windshield antenna connector... the radio input antenna cable connector is hooked to the windhield shorting bar with a screw on connector... is this connected? Does it have the right continuity? Is the contact on this connector clean and bright?



    3. Check that the windshield shorting bar is not shorted to ground... if so the radio will have no output.



    4. Radio power ... make sure that the fuse connector for input power has continuity... the fuse must be good and the connectors at each end must be clean and bright.



    5. The AM radio stations in my area are few albeit the south of the border stations must be blasting 200k Watts... to assure proper reception... once the radio is working tune the radio to the weakest station then tune the antenna trimmer which is located on the radio box to get the strongest audio output.... this assures the antenna is matched to the Radios input amplifier.



    Good Luck:)
  • Nevada Hudson
    Nevada Hudson Senior Contributor
    I bought a "rebuilt" Hudson radio at a Hudson National meet, and it was anything but. Took off the cover, and it wasn't even touched. In worse condition than my old one!
  • harry54
    harry54 Senior Contributor
    thanks all for the idea's....
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    harry54 wrote:
    My 53 Hornet is having radio woes... I just changed my radio to a refurbished unit and still have problems. It lights up and hums but no sound or reception. How often does an antenna go bad ? What about speakers ? I 'm thinking that I should replace both . Any recomendation's on a fender antenna ? Any recomendation's on a replacement speaker ? ty
    Walt here; I just corrected a problem just like you stated. Unhook your antenna wire going into the radio and plug in an antenna that you can hold in your hand, and see if radio plays, if yes, the antenna wire is broken at the roof. Another quick test is have some one hold a wire to the antenna rod outside or clip it on and touch the other end to the rod that come down from the roof inside. If radio plays broken antenna wire in roof.. This is no easy repair.
  • harry54
    harry54 Senior Contributor
    Thanks for the input... It's actually a fender antenna.... The car must have originally radio delete....
  • bartibog1
    bartibog1 Expert Adviser
    best way to check that type of antenna is with a ohm meter. connect one lead to center pin of plug going to radio and other end to outside rod, should read zero if it does then check plug from radio center pin to out side of plug or ground meter should not move wire is shorted if you get a reading. or as other have said use and ther and hold in yr hands

    steve
  • EssexAdv
    EssexAdv Expert Adviser, Member
    Hate to say this as it is a simple answer but, have made sure all the tubes and the vibrator are seated properly. Remember there are tubes under the cover as well as out in the open.
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