AM loop antenna connections on Zenith MJ1035

[Jeffhs]

I have a Zenith MJ-1035 radio that works well on FM--picks up many stations and sounds great; typical Zenith. However, I am experiencing a problem with the AM section. I get no reception whatsoever below 1100 kHz, but the reception is great from 1100 to 1600, especially at night. I presently have only one side of the AM loop antenna connected (the side that connects to the AM tuning capacitor), but am at a loss to figure out where the other side connects. My Sams for this set (set 751, folder 9) shows that side of the loop connected to ground through a blocking capacitor, but I'm leery of connecting anything directly to chassis ground due to the "hot chassis" nature of this radio. The AM worked great when I first got the radio about two weeks ago, but I've had the chassis in and out of the cabinet several times due to the tone control, on which the push-pull AC power switch is mounted, being very loose and the switch getting pushed in (to its off position) almost every time I put the chassis back in or, worse, when I put the knob on the tone control shaft when the chassis is in the cabinet. That's when I lost both connections to the AM loop. The radio works with just one side of the loop connected, but I'm sure it would work 100 times better if I could find out where the other (ground?) side of the antenna goes.

Thanks in advance.

[Nolan Woodbury]

Jeff,

You'll need to backtrack your internal connections and see what you've missed.

The MJ 1035 operating guide (of which I'll send you a copy) states that the MJ uses an internal wave magnet for standard broadcast. Some MJs feature an external wave magnet (I have two like that; with a large, black plastic rectangle that is clearly marked) to the rear cover. The only place to attach another antenna is on the rear cover using the "F" and "G" terminals, near the line cord attachment. This is for boosting FM signal only.

hang in there! I'm sure you'll get it sorted-