Receiving Antenna in Legacy Diesel

What's the Product No. for your PA?  (There are at least two versions and they have different antenna connections).

Mike

If you pulled the wire off of the metal antenna plate, just solder it back on.  Might be fun now that the antenna is hot glued to the shell, but thats gonna be the way to do it.  Alternative is to put a tiny ring terminal on the wire, drill the right size hole in the antenna plate and use a tiny screw of the same size as the ring terminal to screw it on.

You can also just replace the antenna metal plate with wire. Solder a wire extension onto the antenna wire coming from the circuit board. Put heat shrink over the connection and over the far end of the wire. Run the lengthened wire along the inside top of the shell and attach it with hot glue, or silicone seal or something similar. It does not have to be any certain shape or size. Longer is better, but it does not need to be longer than maybe once around the shell.

Thanks for the responses. I'll have to get back to you on the product number. The layout is in the barn and I have had other commitments. I take it then, the antenna is just a single loop and direct attachment to the plate is enough. I can get the hot glue soft with a hair dryer and a small offset pallet knife will lift the plate off. thanks again.

Hot glue isn't the answer, you need a solid electrical contact to the antenna plate!

@Paul OB posted:

Thanks for the responses. I'll have to get back to you on the product number. The layout is in the barn and I have had other commitments. I take it then, the antenna is just a single loop and direct attachment to the plate is enough. I can get the hot glue soft with a hair dryer and a small offset pallet knife will lift the plate off. thanks again.

A few drops of rubbing alcohol on the hot glue joint will cause it to break the bonds- No need for hot air.

Only caution is, be careful and don't just pour alcohol as it can damage the paint finish . I typically use a cotton swap to weep the alcohol into the edges of the bonded area to break free the bond. It does not "melt" or dissolve the hot glue, it simply breaks the bonded "glued" connection between it and the plastic or metal.

Again, my concern, by the time you get enough hot air to melt the glue- you may have damaged the shell. A hot knife I also do not feel is the best option- but that's just my opinion. Alcohol, used sparingly, works way better in my experience.

EDIT:

FWIW, I read the reply as needing to remove the mounted metal antenna plate for soldering the wire attachment. In other words, the antenna is hot glued in, and so remove that first, then solder the plate and wire, and then install back in the engine- possibly with hot glue. But not using hot glue to connect the wire to the metal plate. I could be wrong, that's just what I interpreted.

Thanks Again. I only did one small pea size drop of hot glue and its near the side. I like the alcohol idea to get it out. Then solder the wire to the plate. It'll be better than trying solder it in the shell like open heart surgery. If that doesn't work,  have the wire around the shell to fall back on.  I'll let you know.

Follow up on the antenna repair. I extended the wires 2 inches to give a little room for soldering. I detached the plug from the board and soldered the wires onto the antenna plate nub. After all was cooled and secured I added a drop of hot glue to hold the wires and take any stress off the solder joint if I ever inadvertently tug on them. Eng 54 is up and running fine. Thanks for all the help. this is always a great source of information.