Tuner Issues w/Zenith H845

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by tlavergne

Jeff,
Thanks for the info. I believe we talked a year or two ago when I got this radio. I am originally from up your way but live in Central Ohio now. I have the tuner repaired and playing as I write. I don't have the phono output but use an FM transmitter. That seems to work great. In the summer this radio sits on our screened in porch and is 2 feet away from the computer (wall in separating the two). So I either stream radio or stream off my itunes straight to the radio. It works perfectly. In the winter the radio sits next to the computer and I use it the same way. I either have it on 89.5 for the FM transmitter or 90.7 for my local NPR station so the tuner really does not get too much exercise. How would I hook an external antenna to this? I have an antenna in the attic that connects to the rest of my radios via coax. I have a powered signal boost on the antenna. I am keeping the antenna in the attic to keep it from attracting a lightning strike.
TL

Tom,

You are more than welcome. I am always happy to help out a fellow Zenith radio owner, as I have had an interest in these radios for years and have been interested in electronics since I was eight years old; got into amateur or "ham" radio as well at the age of 16 in 1972 and have been active in that, in one form or another (currently experimenting with voice over IP on the Internet with a system called Echolink) ever since.

There are two terminals on the back cover of your C845 marked "F" and "G", for "FM" and "ground" respectively. Connect your external antenna to these terminals, using a 75- to 300-ohm matching transformer such as was (and still is in some cases, notably with OTA [over the air] TV antenna installations) used to connect coax cable to older TV sets with only 300-ohm terminals; it looks like a shotgun shell. The 300-ohm side of the transformer, of course, connects to the radio's antenna terminals, while the "F" connector (it looks like the connector on the end of your TV cable) screws onto the mating connector on the transformer.

You are very wise to locate your FM antenna in your attic. Summer thunderstorms in northeastern Ohio (and I'm sure in your area as well) can be severe; an outdoor antenna of any kind, especially if it is mounted on a tall mast, atop a tower, or even on the roof of your house, can and often does attract lightning like moths to a flame.

BTW, where in northern Ohio are you from originally? I grew up in Wickliffe, an eastern Cleveland suburb about 16 miles from downtown, then moved to Fairport Harbor, 33 miles east of downtown Cleveland and a mile or so from Lake Erie, ten and a half years ago.