[Guest]

The loop antenna on my recently acquired 48-460 "Hippo" radio is missing. Could someone please provide information about how to wind a new loop? A photo would help along with the wire size/type and number of turns in the loop. By looking at the back of the radio, I think the loop is glued to the inside of the case. Any help would be appreciated.

Richard

[Ron Ramirez]

It is a flat winding, wound on heavy brown paper and was,indeed, glued to the inside of the cabinet originally. Sorry, don't currently have the specs on wire size or number of turns.

[exray]

That loop arrangement was not one of Philco's best ideas. You might be better off opting for a non-original loop on the back panel. They aren't all that difficult to make and adjust.

[codefox1]

I did this once, a long time ago, on an old radio that originally had it's antenna coil glued to the inside circumference of the cabinet, (I could see the glue tracks.) Don't remember if it was a philco or not. The antenna, and a couple of other vital organs were missing.

I cut out a piece of at least one inch thick styrofoam to just a hair larger than the inside of the cabinet. Then I put a wind of filament wrapping tape (sticky side out) around the styrofoam. Then I took some enameled wire from a trashed transformer, probably 24 guage or so and tacked down the starting end where it would be conneceted with a small piece of the same tape.

Then I wound about 15 turns of wire as carefully as I could one row next to the other. The tackiness of the tape held it down fairly well at the end, I left out a few inches, as in the start, so I could hook it up. I then tacked down the end point with yet another small piece of tape.

Before going further, I hooked up the loop, still on it's styrofoam base, to the radio. To my amazement, it played. Of course if it was not possible to align the set properly, I could have tried removing a turn or two, (or adding a couple more,) but I was good to go. (Madman's luck, I'm sure.)

Then I mated another piece of the same tape to the form, this time sticky side down. Voila, a new loop. Removed from the styrofoam form I could "indent" the four corners slightly and try dry fitting into the cabinet. All was well, and I elmer'ed it in place with a few binder clips (yes, those little black gizmos from the office; cheap, comes in different sizes, you have some of 'em if only you could remember where.)

Anyway, that's one way to do it, it's pretty much 100% reversable. I'm all for low cost/no cost/recycle soloutions.

If anyone out there has a picture of an unmolested antenna on this model , please post. Good luck

[exray]

Here's some pics.

[Image: http://www.sparkbench.com/h5.jpg]
[Image: http://www.sparkbench.com/h6.jpg]

Looks like 13 turns counted at that corner.

-Bill