what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

I have radios that I tune and after they play a while the tuning needs
to be adjusted.

This is common, I assume.

What is happening? Does the vibration make the variable condenser shift
a little bit? Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?

Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa? FM has AFC but iirc
AM doesn't have that.




I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on lights
and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune, even when I
don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out, and I'd like the radio
to continue to play the station clearly.


I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
until someone pushes a button.

On 2/19/2019 3:58 PM, micky wrote:
what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

I have radios that I tune and after they play a while the tuning needs
to be adjusted.

This is common, I assume.

What is happening? Does the vibration make the variable condenser shift
a little bit? Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?

Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa? FM has AFC but iirc
AM doesn't have that.


Yep, that's a problem. But you can't do much about it.



I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on lights
and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune, even when I
don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out, and I'd like the radio
to continue to play the station clearly.


I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
until someone pushes a button.

You could leave the electronic tuning radio on all the time and use
an external speaker switched by the timer.

On Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at 7:26:40 PM UTC-5, Mike wrote:
On 2/19/2019 3:58 PM, micky wrote:
what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

I have radios that I tune and after they play a while the tuning needs
to be adjusted.

This is common, I assume.

What is happening? Does the vibration make the variable condenser shift
a little bit? Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?

Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa? FM has AFC but iirc
AM doesn't have that.


Yep, that's a problem. But you can't do much about it.



I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on lights
and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune, even when I
don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out, and I'd like the radio
to continue to play the station clearly.


I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
until someone pushes a button.

You could leave the electronic tuning radio on all the time and use
an external speaker switched by the timer.


Usually the tuning issue is mostly with weaker stations. If the issue is
just using it as a source to make it look like someone is home, unless
the radio is a real POS, you;d think that you could tune it to a strong
local station and it would work. I certainly had all kinds of radios
over the years that stayed tuned to all kinds of stations AM and FM without
a problem. Micky is in MD too, right? Should be plenty of local, strong
stations.

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 19 Feb 2019 16:26:34 -0800, Mike
wrote:

On 2/19/2019 3:58 PM, micky wrote:
what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

I have radios that I tune and after they play a while the tuning needs
to be adjusted.

This is common, I assume.

What is happening? Does the vibration make the variable condenser shift
a little bit? Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?

Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa? FM has AFC but iirc
AM doesn't have that.


Yep, that's a problem. But you can't do much about it.

So are you saying that AM is worse than FM, because AM has no AFC?

Or AM and FM are both a problem?



I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on lights
and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune, even when I
don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out, and I'd like the radio
to continue to play the station clearly.


I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
until someone pushes a button.

You could leave the electronic tuning radio on all the time and use
an external speaker switched by the timer.

Maybe for next time. I don't have one of those.

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 19 Feb 2019 16:54:36 -0800 (PST), trader_4
wrote:



Usually the tuning issue is mostly with weaker stations. If the issue is

I didn't pay much attention until just now, but I think the common one
was 88.1, which is pretty strong. I'd leave one radio on and even in the
length of time it takes to take a bath, 30 minutes, the sound would get
gnarled.

On my 250 dollar radio, 88.1 in Baltimore got lower in volume about a
year ago, and 88.5 which is all the way in DC is now louder and probably
more clear. (But that one has electronic tuning, have to push a
button to get sound.)

BUT, none of the radios I actually use except the car radio can get
88.5, because it's all the way in DC. Yet on the good radio it comes in
better.

I guess I figure that if it drifts on a somewhat weak station, it will
drift on any station. Is that where AFC will make a difference? On FM
only but not AM? (and with enough time it will drift so far it won't
sound like a radio station.)

just using it as a source to make it look like someone is home, unless
the radio is a real POS, you;d think that you could tune it to a strong
local station and it would work. I certainly had all kinds of radios
over the years that stayed tuned to all kinds of stations AM and FM without
a problem. Micky is in MD too, right? Should be plenty of local, strong
stations.

Yes, just for making noise it doesn't have to be a station I would
actually listen to. It could even play hiphop. it's a pain for
testing however, having to listen to some of that.

On 2/19/19 6:58 PM, micky wrote:
what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

I have radios that I tune and after they play a while the tuning needs
to be adjusted.

This is common, I assume.

What is happening? Does the vibration make the variable condenser shift
a little bit? Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?

Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa? FM has AFC but iirc
AM doesn't have that.




I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on lights
and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune, even when I
don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out, and I'd like the radio
to continue to play the station clearly.


I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
until someone pushes a button.


Do you have a TV with cable access ? If so, does the cable service have
music only channels ? Our Xfinity/Comcast does.

Have your timer turn the TV on/off. Leave cable box set to music channel.

On 20-2-2019 0:58, micky wrote:
what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

I have radios that I tune and after they play a while the tuning needs
to be adjusted.

This is common, I assume.

What is happening? Does the vibration make the variable condenser shift
a little bit? Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?

Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa? FM has AFC but iirc
AM doesn't have that.




I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on lights
and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune, even when I
don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out, and I'd like the radio
to continue to play the station clearly.


I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
until someone pushes a button.

Any or all of the above.

micky wrote

what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

The thing that does the tuning moves physically. That's
only with the old radios tho, not modern digital ones.

I have radios that I tune and after they play
a while the tuning needs to be adjusted.

This is common, I assume.

No it isnt.

What is happening? Does the vibration make
the variable condenser shift a little bit?

Shouldn't do unless is much looser than it should be.

Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?

Again, it shouldn't happen with a well designed radio.

Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa?

In theory its more likely with AM.

FM has AFC but iirc AM doesn't have that.

That's sort of true.

I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on
lights and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune,
even when I don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out,
and I'd like the radio to continue to play the station clearly.

I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a
timer that turns the power off and on, when it comes
on, the radio doesn't start until someone pushes a button.

They arent all like that. Just replace the radio with a better analog one.

On 2019-02-19 7:02 p.m., Rod Speed wrote:
micky wrote
what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

The thing that does the tuning moves physically. That's only with the
old radios tho, not modern digital ones.
I have radios that I tune and after they play a while the tuning needs
to be adjusted.

This is common, I assume.

No it isnt.
What is happening?Â* Does the vibration make the variable condenser
shift a little bit?

Shouldn't do unless is much looser than it should be.
Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?

Again, it shouldn't happen with a well designed radio.
Is this more common in AM than FM?Â* or vice versa?

In theory its more likely with AM.
FM has AFC but iirc AM doesn't have that.

That's sort of true.
I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on lights
and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune, even when I
don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out, and I'd like the
radio to continue to play the station clearly.

I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
until someone pushes a button.

They arent all like that. Just replace the radio with a better analog one.


and get on SiriusXM

On 2/19/2019 5:38 PM, micky wrote:
In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 19 Feb 2019 16:26:34 -0800, Mike
wrote:

On 2/19/2019 3:58 PM, micky wrote:
what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

I have radios that I tune and after they play a while the tuning needs
to be adjusted.

This is common, I assume.

What is happening? Does the vibration make the variable condenser shift
a little bit? Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?

Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa? FM has AFC but iirc
AM doesn't have that.


Yep, that's a problem. But you can't do much about it.

So are you saying that AM is worse than FM, because AM has no AFC?

Or AM and FM are both a problem?
No, I'm not saying that.
I'm saying that, if all the devices you have to make noise are
insufficient, you need different devices.
Fixing ANY of them is gonna be far more time consuming than
obtaining a speaker or mp3 player or a computer that can turn itself
on whenever you program it...like all of them do...somehow.

Turn on the mp3 player and let it loop 24/7. The switched lights should
be sufficient to fool anybody who'd be fooled by such devices.



I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on lights
and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune, even when I
don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out, and I'd like the radio
to continue to play the station clearly.


I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
until someone pushes a button.

You could leave the electronic tuning radio on all the time and use
an external speaker switched by the timer.

Maybe for next time. I don't have one of those.

On Tue, 19 Feb 2019 20:46:56 -0500, micky
wrote:

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 19 Feb 2019 16:54:36 -0800 (PST), trader_4
wrote:



Usually the tuning issue is mostly with weaker stations. If the issue is

I didn't pay much attention until just now, but I think the common one
was 88.1, which is pretty strong. I'd leave one radio on and even in the
length of time it takes to take a bath, 30 minutes, the sound would get
gnarled.

On my 250 dollar radio, 88.1 in Baltimore got lower in volume about a
year ago, and 88.5 which is all the way in DC is now louder and probably
more clear. (But that one has electronic tuning, have to push a
button to get sound.)

BUT, none of the radios I actually use except the car radio can get
88.5, because it's all the way in DC. Yet on the good radio it comes in
better.

I guess I figure that if it drifts on a somewhat weak station, it will
drift on any station. Is that where AFC will make a difference? On FM
only but not AM? (and with enough time it will drift so far it won't
sound like a radio station.)

just using it as a source to make it look like someone is home, unless
the radio is a real POS, you;d think that you could tune it to a strong
local station and it would work. I certainly had all kinds of radios
over the years that stayed tuned to all kinds of stations AM and FM without
a problem. Micky is in MD too, right? Should be plenty of local, strong
stations.

Yes, just for making noise it doesn't have to be a station I would
actually listen to. It could even play hiphop. it's a pain for
testing however, having to listen to some of that.
Likerly a resistor or capacitor in the tuning tank circuit or PLL is
temperature sensitive causing the drift

On 02/19/2019 04:58 PM, micky wrote:
what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

How old and crappy are your radios? Have you made it up to a
superheterodyne or are you still in the regenerative era?

In rbowman writes:

Thunderbird/45.6.0
In-Reply-To:
Xref: panix sci.electronics.repair:586980 alt.home.repair:1823920

On 02/19/2019 04:58 PM, micky wrote:
what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

How old and crappy are your radios? Have you made it up to a
superheterodyne or are you still in the regenerative era?

Me, I'm still waiting to upgrade to using a stainless
steel razor blade for mine...

--
__________________________________________________ ___
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key

[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]

In article , NONONOmisc07
@bigfoot.com says...


Yep, that's a problem. But you can't do much about it.

So are you saying that AM is worse than FM, because AM has no AFC?

Or AM and FM are both a problem?




Usually AM will be worse because there is no AFC. Most FM radios will
have AFC.

Just turn the radio on and let it play for half an hour before putting
it on a timmer.It may come on off frequency ,but as it warms up it
should drift to the station.

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 19 Feb 2019 20:54:12 -0500,
wrote:

On 2/19/19 6:58 PM, micky wrote:
what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

I have radios that I tune and after they play a while the tuning needs
to be adjusted.

This is common, I assume.

What is happening? Does the vibration make the variable condenser shift
a little bit? Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?

Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa? FM has AFC but iirc
AM doesn't have that.

This is not as bad as some seem to have gleaned. This method will work,
I just wanted to shorten the time it would take me to find the right
radio, the right AM or FM band, and a a good station

I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
until someone pushes a button.


Do you have a TV with cable access ?

No, I don't.

If so, does the cable service have
music only channels ? Our Xfinity/Comcast does.

It doesn't have to be music. Burglars don't know my tastes. It just
has to be a radio or tv station.

BTW, I've been on 3 trips in the last 2 years totaling 160 days and no
one has bothered my house at all. I just want to keep it that way.

Have your timer turn the TV on/off. Leave cable box set to music channel.

If the timer provides power to the TV, someone has to press the TV's
on/off button.

Thanks.

In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 20 Feb 2019 13:02:17 +1100, "Rod Speed"
wrote:

micky wrote

what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

The thing that does the tuning moves physically. That's
only with the old radios tho, not modern digital ones.

Digital radios won't work here. They all afaik have a separate
momentary-on on/off switch.

I have radios that I tune and after they play
a while the tuning needs to be adjusted.

This is common, I assume.

No it isnt.

I thought I had at least two radios like this.


What is happening? Does the vibration make
the variable condenser shift a little bit?

Shouldn't do unless is much looser than it should be.

It doesn't seem to be loose.

Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?

Again, it shouldn't happen with a well designed radio.

I wasn't there when they designed it. ;-)

Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa?

In theory its more likely with AM.

That's good to know.

FM has AFC but iirc AM doesn't have that.

That's sort of true.

I know some radios have an AFC switch, so you can get weak stations that
are close to strong stations, but if there is no AFC switch, I thought
all FM radios have AFC anyhow.

BTW. that reminds me of another example of drifting. My Hallicrafters
short-wave (plus medium and long wave) radio made in the 30's I got from
my cousin around 1958. A couple times I heard TV sound on it, even
though TV sound in the 50's and until digital is supposed to be FM and
the radio was AM. Nonetheless, I turned on a TV and found the channel
it was receiving.

And I had to retune every 5 minutes or so to a constantly higher
frequency. Finally after an hour or two, I reached the end of the band.
IIRC I switched to the bottom of the next higher band but I couldn't
find the same transmission.

Yes, the thing was 30 years old but it was certainly well-designed. I
still have the radio and I've only had to replace the AC filter
capacitors. Everything else still works, even though it's about 85
years old now.

I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on
lights and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune,
even when I don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out,
and I'd like the radio to continue to play the station clearly.

I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a
timer that turns the power off and on, when it comes
on, the radio doesn't start until someone pushes a button.

They arent all like that. Just replace the radio with a better analog one.

I've bought 2 or 3 radios in the last couple years, but in order to get
88.5 in DC in the kitchen, without having to turn on the wireless
speaker from the computer. (no, for others who suggested the computer,
I'm not going to run the computer for 24/7 for 12 weeks when I can just
run a radio 3 or 4 hours a day. I've been plugging and unplugging a
couple of them making sure which one will stay on the frequency it's set
for, but this takes a lot of time and the questions were designed to
speed things up.)

On 2/19/19 10:39 PM, micky wrote:
Yes, the thing was 30 years old but it was certainly well-designed. I
still have the radio and I've only had to replace the AC filter
capacitors. Everything else still works, even though it's about 85
years old now.

Hallicrafters radios are notorious for drifting.
It's almost a trade mark.


--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

"micky" wrote in message
news
In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 20 Feb 2019 13:02:17 +1100, "Rod Speed"
wrote:

micky wrote

what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

The thing that does the tuning moves physically. That's
only with the old radios tho, not modern digital ones.

Digital radios won't work here. They all afaik
have a separate momentary-on on/off switch.

Not all of them do, most obviously with car radios.

I have radios that I tune and after they play
a while the tuning needs to be adjusted.

This is common, I assume.

No it isnt.

I thought I had at least two radios like this.

Looks like you have fluked a couple of duds.
None of my analog radios do that.

What is happening? Does the vibration make
the variable condenser shift a little bit?

Shouldn't do unless is much looser than it should be.

It doesn't seem to be loose.

Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?

Again, it shouldn't happen with a well designed radio.

I wasn't there when they designed it. ;-)

Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa?

In theory its more likely with AM.

That's good to know.

FM has AFC but iirc AM doesn't have that.

That's sort of true.

I know some radios have an AFC switch, so you can get weak stations that
are close to strong stations, but if there is no AFC switch, I thought
all FM radios have AFC anyhow.

Normally the analog ones do, not needed with digital ones.

BTW. that reminds me of another example of drifting. My Hallicrafters
short-wave (plus medium and long wave) radio made in the 30's I got
from my cousin around 1958. A couple times I heard TV sound on it,
even though TV sound in the 50's and until digital is supposed to be
FM and the radio was AM. Nonetheless, I turned on a TV and found
the channel it was receiving.

Yeah, you can decode FM with an SSB receiver.

And I had to retune every 5 minutes or so to a constantly higher
frequency. Finally after an hour or two, I reached the end of the band.
IIRC I switched to the bottom of the next higher band but I couldn't
find the same transmission.

Likely it was an intermodulation that you were
receiving and the signal it was intermodulating
with was what was drifting that dramatically.

Yes, the thing was 30 years old but it was certainly well-designed.

Yeah, very decent designs.

I still have the radio and I've only had to replace
the AC filter capacitors. Everything else still
works, even though it's about 85 years old now.

Yeah, they do last well.

I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on
lights and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune,
even when I don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out,
and I'd like the radio to continue to play the station clearly.

I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a
timer that turns the power off and on, when it comes
on, the radio doesn't start until someone pushes a button.

They arent all like that. Just replace the radio with a better analog one.

I've bought 2 or 3 radios in the last couple years, but in order to get
88.5 in DC in the kitchen, without having to turn on the wireless
speaker from the computer. (no, for others who suggested the computer,
I'm not going to run the computer for 24/7 for 12 weeks when I can just
run a radio 3 or 4 hours a day. I've been plugging and unplugging a
couple of them making sure which one will stay on the frequency it's set
for, but this takes a lot of time and the questions were designed to
speed things up.)

On Wed, 20 Feb 2019 17:49:56 +1100, cantankerous trolling senile geezer Rot
Speed blabbered, again:

I thought I had at least two radios like this.

Looks like you have fluked

Looks like you found another simpleton who hasn't yet realized what's the
matter with you, you ****ed up senile Ozzie troll! BG

--
Richard addressing Rot Speed:
"**** you're thick/pathetic excuse for a troll."
MID:

Ralph Mowery wrote: "... but as it warms up it
should drift to the station. "

From which 'side' of the selected station?

On 2/19/19 11:27 PM, micky wrote:
BTW, I've been on 3 trips in the last 2 years totaling 160 days and no
one has bothered my house at all. I just want to keep it that way.



Life is a constant battle of keeping burglars out of my house and democrats out of my paycheck. Democrats suck!

On 02/19/2019 09:07 PM, danny burstein wrote:
In rbowman writes:

Thunderbird/45.6.0
In-Reply-To:
Xref: panix sci.electronics.repair:586980 alt.home.repair:1823920

On 02/19/2019 04:58 PM, micky wrote:
what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

How old and crappy are your radios? Have you made it up to a
superheterodyne or are you still in the regenerative era?

Me, I'm still waiting to upgrade to using a stainless
steel razor blade for mine...


Probably won't work. A Gillette Blue Blade is best but if you are a
manly man a rusty blade or one you've heated with a torch to get a layer
of oxide will do it.

To OP

find an FM radio with an AFC.
Tune it to a strong station.
The AFC should keep it tuned in good enough to make sound.

or just leave it on 24/7 when you are not home

m

In alt.home.repair, on Tue, 19 Feb 2019 23:17:21 -0500, Ralph Mowery
wrote:

In article , NONONOmisc07
says...


Yep, that's a problem. But you can't do much about it.

So are you saying that AM is worse than FM, because AM has no AFC?

Or AM and FM are both a problem?




Usually AM will be worse because there is no AFC. Most FM radios will
have AFC.

Just turn the radio on and let it play for half an hour before putting
it on a timmer.It may come on off frequency ,but as it warms up it
should drift to the station.

That sounds good.

Thanks everyone.

In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 20 Feb 2019 17:49:56 +1100, "Rod Speed"
wrote:



"micky" wrote in message
news
In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 20 Feb 2019 13:02:17 +1100, "Rod Speed"
wrote:

micky wrote

what makes radios drift from the proper tuning?

The thing that does the tuning moves physically. That's
only with the old radios tho, not modern digital ones.

Digital radios won't work here. They all afaik
have a separate momentary-on on/off switch.

Not all of them do, most obviously with car radios.

Good point. But the 3 I have do. I'm not buying another unless I was
sure it would get 88.5 and I've tried testing it in the store. Might
work there but not when I get home.

I have radios that I tune and after they play
a while the tuning needs to be adjusted.

This is common, I assume.

No it isnt.

I thought I had at least two radios like this.

Looks like you have fluked a couple of duds.
None of my analog radios do that.

What is happening? Does the vibration make
the variable condenser shift a little bit?

Shouldn't do unless is much looser than it should be.

It doesn't seem to be loose.

Or do the parts get warm and some value changes?

Again, it shouldn't happen with a well designed radio.

I wasn't there when they designed it. ;-)

Is this more common in AM than FM? or vice versa?

In theory its more likely with AM.

That's good to know.

FM has AFC but iirc AM doesn't have that.

That's sort of true.

I know some radios have an AFC switch, so you can get weak stations that
are close to strong stations, but if there is no AFC switch, I thought
all FM radios have AFC anyhow.

Normally the analog ones do, not needed with digital ones.

BTW. that reminds me of another example of drifting. My Hallicrafters
short-wave (plus medium and long wave) radio made in the 30's I got
from my cousin around 1958. A couple times I heard TV sound on it,
even though TV sound in the 50's and until digital is supposed to be
FM and the radio was AM. Nonetheless, I turned on a TV and found
the channel it was receiving.

Yeah, you can decode FM with an SSB receiver.

Very interesting.

And I had to retune every 5 minutes or so to a constantly higher
frequency. Finally after an hour or two, I reached the end of the band.
IIRC I switched to the bottom of the next higher band but I couldn't
find the same transmission.

Likely it was an intermodulation that you were
receiving and the signal it was intermodulating
with was what was drifting that dramatically.

Very interesting.

Yes, the thing was 30 years old but it was certainly well-designed.

Yeah, very decent designs.

I still have the radio and I've only had to replace
the AC filter capacitors. Everything else still
works, even though it's about 85 years old now.

Yeah, they do last well.

I may give it a party when it turns 100.

I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on
lights and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune,
even when I don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out,
and I'd like the radio to continue to play the station clearly.

I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a
timer that turns the power off and on, when it comes
on, the radio doesn't start until someone pushes a button.

They arent all like that. Just replace the radio with a better analog one.

I've bought 2 or 3 radios in the last couple years, but in order to get
88.5 in DC in the kitchen, without having to turn on the wireless
speaker from the computer. (no, for others who suggested the computer,
I'm not going to run the computer for 24/7 for 12 weeks when I can just
run a radio 3 or 4 hours a day. I've been plugging and unplugging a
couple of them making sure which one will stay on the frequency it's set
for, but this takes a lot of time and the questions were designed to
speed things up.)

On 2/19/19 5:58 PM, micky wrote:

[[snip]

I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
until someone pushes a button.

I also find that "power amnesia" to be an annoyance. For most of the
settings, modern devices use permanent memory. Often, they exclude the
"power' switch.

BTW, For TVs, I notice that many smaller ones will remember, and can be
used with a timer. Bigger TVs are power amnesiacs.

--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"Common sense is what tells you that the world is flat."

On 2/19/19 8:02 PM, Rod Speed wrote:
[snip]

I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
until someone pushes a button.

They arent all like that. Just replace the radio with a better analog one.

If it doesn't come on after a power interruption, that sounds like a
defect (unless this was an OPTION you set). I wish they'd put that
information on the box and in ads.

BTW, another piece of useful (but often missing) information is latency
of an internet connection. This is often more important than speed.

--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"Common sense is what tells you that the world is flat."

On 2/19/19 10:27 PM, micky wrote:

[snip]

Have your timer turn the TV on/off. Leave cable box set to music channel.

If the timer provides power to the TV, someone has to press the TV's
on/off button.

I have found this to be true with larger TVs, but not with smaller ones
(the largest I have without the problem is 22-inch). However, they don't
put this on the box and any salespeople will probably NOT be able to help.

Possibly a very expensive TV might have an option for this.

Thanks.


--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"Common sense is what tells you that the world is flat."

On 2/19/19 10:39 PM, micky wrote:

[snip]

Digital radios won't work here. They all afaik have a separate
momentary-on on/off switch.

Having a momentary switch is not the problem, it's that without power it
forgets the setting of that electronic switch.

[snip]

--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"Common sense is what tells you that the world is flat."

In article ,
says...

Ralph Mowery wrote: "... but as it warms up it
should drift to the station. "

From which 'side' of the selected station?



My thought was to turn on the radio wait about half an hour and find a
station. Then leave it there and put it on the timmer. It will come on
and in a short time drift back to that station.

Ralph Mowery wrote: "

My thought was to turn on the radio wait about half an hour and find a
station. Then leave it there and put it on the timmer. It will come on
and in a short time drift back to that station. "

Sorry if I was't clear: if the tuning drifts, say on a slide-rule
analog dial, it will be to the left or right of the desired station.

Have you noticed a tendency to drift below(to the left of) or
abovr(to right of)the selected station?

On Wed, 20 Feb 2019 11:47:52 -0600, Mark Lloyd
wrote:

On 2/19/19 10:39 PM, micky wrote:

[snip]

Digital radios won't work here. They all afaik have a separate
momentary-on on/off switch.

Having a momentary switch is not the problem, it's that without power it
forgets the setting of that electronic switch.

[snip]
The "digital" radios in this house all have a battery in them to
maintain the settings, but can not be set to start up on power-on. Two
DO have an "alarm" setting that will turn the radio on at a set time.
If you use a timer to turn the radio off and on you need to make sure
the timer comes on before the alarm time. The battery also keeps the
realtime clock running with the power off.

Wed, 20 Feb 2019
01:54:12 GMT in alt.home.repair, wrote:

Do you have a TV with cable access ? If so, does the cable service
have music only channels ? Our Xfinity/Comcast does.

Have your timer turn the TV on/off. Leave cable box set to music
channel.

While a timer could be used to turn a modern tv off, it's highly
doubtful you can turn it back on with the timer. All tvs I've seen in
the past say, ten years have standby modes. If you connect them to AC,
they don't just turn on, you still have to press a button. You can't
really tape the button down or short it out in most cases either,
because it'll most likely do one of two things if you did:

(a) stay off all the time
(b) turn on, but go back to stand by a short time later, because you
aren't letting go of the button

I seriously doubt it would come out of standby and remain on if you the
button remained pressed. You'd need an older tv that had a real power
switch that actually did turn it on or off, not one with a standby or
sleep mode.


--
Radioactive halibut will make fission chips.

micky
news 04:39:56 GMT in alt.home.repair, wrote:

The thing that does the tuning moves physically. That's
only with the old radios tho, not modern digital ones.

Digital radios won't work here. They all afaik have a separate
momentary-on on/off switch.

That isn't restricted to a digital radio. It's any device that has a
sleep mode or standby power mode. IE: anything that doesn't have a real
power switch. The momentary push button switches on modern tv sets
aren't controlling high voltage ac mains directly; they're telling
another circuit board that's using a small amount of power that it's
okay to close a relay to bring the main power board online from the ac
mains. And it'll hold the relay closed until you press the little
button again, which opens the relay and resumes sleep/suspend/standby
mode.



--
Out of Taglines, Please Order More

Mark Lloyd Wed,
20 Feb 2019 17:33:12 GMT in alt.home.repair, wrote:

On 2/19/19 5:58 PM, micky wrote:

[[snip]

I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer
that turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio
doesn't start until someone pushes a button.

I also find that "power amnesia" to be an annoyance. For most of
the settings, modern devices use permanent memory. Often, they
exclude the "power' switch.

Most of the time, the power switch is controlled by another board
entirely that's mostly a small transformer, a few circuits, a relay
and access to the hot leg of the ac mains that it passes along via a
closed relay to the rest of the set that does the real work. When you
push the button to turn the tv off, it opens the relay. When you want
it on, it closes the relay. The remote on the tv is doing the same
thing. Sometimes, the IR LEDs are on the smaller standby board and
other times it's located on their own boards wired to it, or might be
sitting on the actual mainboard of the set, but electrically
connected only to the standby board; it just has a physical residence
on the mainboard.

So, there's nothing for it to memorize, and no way to enforce the
memorization if it did, as the standby board is entirely reliant on
human interaction for relay open/close.

The only exception are sets that have additional circuitry to trip
the standby board into closing the relay with pulse signal; this
requires additional circuitry on the standby board as well as
mainboard of the set, wiring, additional coding frontend/backend,
and, space to store the last known 'setting' to enforce when the
standby board has access to ac mains power.

The additional circuitry on the standby board serves to provide a
limited amount of power to the mainboard without closing the relay so
the mainboard can pull the last known setting and tell the standby
board to close the relay, if that was the setting. When it closes the
relay, that's when it's connecting ac mains (the hot leg) to the main
power supply that actually runs everything else. The standby board
has it's own power supply that's always hot if the set is plugged in.



--
Big donkeys, small donkeys, all good to eat.

In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 20 Feb 2019 11:33:12 -0600, Mark Lloyd
wrote:

On 2/19/19 5:58 PM, micky wrote:

[[snip]

I can't use radios with electronic tuning because with a timer that
turns the power off and on, when it comes on, the radio doesn't start
until someone pushes a button.

I also find that "power amnesia" to be an annoyance. For most of the
settings, modern devices use permanent memory. Often, they exclude the
"power' switch.

Yes, exactly.

BTW, For TVs, I notice that many smaller ones will remember, and can be
used with a timer. Bigger TVs are power amnesiacs.

I have a small tv but for various reasons, can't use it.

I'm set up now, though. Thanks all.

On Thu, 21 Feb 2019 02:45:46 -0000 (UTC), Diesel
wrote:


Wed, 20 Feb 2019
01:54:12 GMT in alt.home.repair, wrote:

Do you have a TV with cable access ? If so, does the cable service
have music only channels ? Our Xfinity/Comcast does.

Have your timer turn the TV on/off. Leave cable box set to music
channel.

While a timer could be used to turn a modern tv off, it's highly
doubtful you can turn it back on with the timer. All tvs I've seen in
the past say, ten years have standby modes. If you connect them to AC,
they don't just turn on, you still have to press a button. You can't
really tape the button down or short it out in most cases either,
because it'll most likely do one of two things if you did:

(a) stay off all the time
(b) turn on, but go back to stand by a short time later, because you
aren't letting go of the button

I seriously doubt it would come out of standby and remain on if you the
button remained pressed. You'd need an older tv that had a real power
switch that actually did turn it on or off, not one with a standby or
sleep mode.
Or a "smart" tv with auto turn on - - - does not need to be a real
"smart tv" with internet connectivity - just power saver or timer
start - or some that revert to power on on power up. (just like some
computers) My ancient Panasonic Viero PT700 has the capability to
start and stop by itself

On 2/20/19 10:23 PM, micky wrote:
I'm set up now, though.

So, how about after all the flailing around here, you TELL us
what you did/ended up with.

--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

On 2/19/19 6:58 PM, micky wrote:
I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on lights
and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune, even when I
don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out, and I'd like the radio
to continue to play the station clearly.



Are you afraid some border-hoppin' thief is going to steal your stuff?

The most effective way to keep the criminals out is to build a wall around your house. Open borders don't work.

On 2/21/2019 5:48 AM, devnull wrote:
On 2/19/19 6:58 PM, micky wrote:
I am going away for a while and I want to use timers to turn on lights
and also a radio, but some radios get so far out of tune, even when I
don't touch them, that almost nothing comes out, and I'd like the radio
to continue to play the station clearly.



Are you afraid some border-hoppin' thief is going to steal your stuff?

The most effective way to keep the criminals out is to build a wall around your house.Â* Open borders don't work.


Nancy Pelosi has an immoral wall around her compound.Â* She also has people with guns protecting her home as well.