Plug-In AM Radio Conversion Device

Jon B
Jon B Administrator
edited November -1 in HUDSON
I spotted this over at the AACA website. It enables you to play a CD player, iPod®, satellite radio or cassette player through your car's original AM radio without modifying the radio. It only works for 12-volt applications, but apparently they're considering bringing out a 6-volt model if demand justifies it. At a bit over $100, it sounds like a reasonable way to deal with the "AM-only" restriction of our old car radios, without the necessity of plunking down $500 or more for a complete rebuild.



Maybe some of our "radio guys" could comment on this? Is there some sort of device already out there, which a "bozo" like me can easily attach, and which does the same thing?



Here is the website of the manufacturer:

http://www.rediscoveradio.com/

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Why not just toss a deep cycle 12v battery in the trunk and wire your tunes up to it? Keep the battery topped off with a discretely mounted solar charger.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    that s a good idea Dave, probably less money in the long run as well.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Thanks. I was thinking that this is an easy, non-invasive mod you can take from car to car. Another advantage is that if your daily driver needs a battery in a pinch, you can swap in the "Tunes" battery from the trunk of the Hudson. Can't do that with a converter.
  • 50C8DAN
    50C8DAN Senior Contributor
    I posted this last Jan. This guy does a cable attachment that lets you run Ipods and other low level inputs w/ 6V system:



    For those interested here is the deal for putting a line in to a Hudson Pos. Ground radio:



    If the radio is working your cost would be $95.00. plus shipping. With a positive ground radio I need to use isolation transformers to keep the ground and audio signal from making contact. Also you can not mount the jack on in metal parts in the car. I give about 3 ft of wire with the jack.







    Thanks



    Jim Astroth



    Jim's Sales and Service



    455 Gerdes st.



    Breese, Il. 62230



    1-618-526-8492
  • Walt-LA
    Walt-LA Senior Contributor
    Jon,



    You can, or could, also get a "plug in" tuner from Radio Shack that will allow you to tune in FM radio by dedicating one of your Hudson channels for that purpose. I've been using one for a couple of years now, and it works great. Just the thing some one would have done to a driver in the '60's.



    Antenna is routed through the tuner. Radio - tuner- antenna. All by antenna extension wire which can get at most any parts store. SIMPLE! My radio is converted to 12V.



    As it's an older device, might be found on ebay, instead of store. Walt-LA
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    These are helpful ideas, and I thank you all. I would prefer not to deal with an extra battery in the trunk, though, nor do I want to get involved in changeover of the radio or the car to 12 volts, simply for this one doo-dad.



    So, from the above postings (including my original posting), I take it that the only available gizmo that I can currently connect to my 6-volt positive ground (without going out to buy 12-volt batteries) would be the Jim Astroth device? So, for example, I could use the "cheapie" $5 AM-FM hand-held radio I bought at Walmart, and connect it to this device (using the earphone receptacle on the Walmart radio), and thus have FM tunes coming from my old tube-type Hudson radio?



    Just want to make sure I understand what my options are!
  • 50C8DAN
    50C8DAN Senior Contributor
    That's what it looks like. I plan on doing my radio this winter sometime, ready for next summer driving with the iPod.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    What's wrong with listening to AM radio?
  • Walt-LA
    Walt-LA Senior Contributor
    :eek: Rush isn't on all day. Walt-LA
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    I need to up-date my radio also, all I can receive on my Commodore radio is 1950's tunes.:eek:
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    if you converted your radio you could get satellite radio and listen to the elvis channel all day long...or doo-wop. Drive route 66 with brylcreme in your hair..........
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Has anyone tried a step-up transformer in their step-down (pun intended) to convert 6v+ to 12v-?



    http://www.powerstream.com/dc6-12.htm
  • 50C8DAN
    50C8DAN Senior Contributor
    Just a minor nit Dave. Transformers only step up or down AC voltage. The items on this website are solid state DC-DC voltage converters which are a totally different animal than a transformer.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Oops, my bad.
  • mars55
    mars55 Senior Contributor
    It seems to me that the DC-DC voltage converter is better then the AM Radio Conversion unit because you can use any 12 volt radio or player you want. While AM Radio Conversion unit leaves you scrambling for a way to power your radio or player and you only get monaural sound. If you decide to go with the DC-DC voltage converter, you should read the section on power limitations in the Q/A section.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Walt-LA wrote:
    :eek: Rush isn't on all day. Walt-LA

    Last week I bought a new radio for my Brand X truck. I asked the clerk at Best Buy which radio had the best AM reception, and he looked at me like I was a crazed lunatic!
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    we all have stories of these young kids on the counters not knowing about what we are talking about. Just imagine their conversatons to their friends at night. " had another one of those old car lunatics in today wanted some part that was 70 years old and I'm supposed to know all about it...give me a break!" well most of them are good kids and we DO need to give them a break. After all, we all started new jobs at one time or other.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    I am putting in a modern radio in my Jet, I am using an inverter, 6 to 12 volts, I got throught JC Whitney, works great! The only problem is that the radio I have won't fit the holes in the dash for the dials without cutting the dash, which I refuse to do. So I am putting mine in the glove box till I find one that fits. I still have the orginal radio in the dash. I can get it fixed, but what is there to listen too on AM anymore?? Besides Rush, whatever his name is.



    Barry Smedley

    53 Super Jet
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    Walt-LA wrote:
    :eek: Rush isn't on all day. Walt-LA



    DITTOs:D, Dave W (FL)
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