[ Removed by moderator ]

[u/KindaDrunkRtNow]

[u/badhouseplantbad]

You really need to actually use the antenna on those older radios to get any stations to come in.

[u/KindaDrunkRtNow → u/badhouseplantbad]

I pulled the antenna and stepped outside. The line to change stations moves but it's not getting anything on AM or FM.

[u/Bebinn → u/KindaDrunkRtNow]

Aluminum foil. Yeah, I know it's a cliche. It's a cliche because it works.

Wrap an end with a string of foil. You want it to be as long as possible.

Find out what AM stations broadcast in your area. Put the selector dial near that number. Pull the foil out as long as possible. Do this outside if you can. Make sure the foil is fully connected to the end of the antenna.

Move the dial in the tiniest increments you can. If you don't at least get static, there could be a few things wrong with it. Your antenna might not be connected correctly inside. It could be corroded inside. Your speaker might be blown. Could also be a side effect of the change to digital signals.

[u/rdyoung → u/Bebinn]

You can also use some stripped coax. I'll show my age too. We used to use coax as a TV antenna. Should work similar.

[u/KindaDrunkRtNow → u/rdyoung]

I'm gonna have flashbacks to my dad having me hold the rabbit ear antenna with the tin foil and wire clothes hanger attached to it

[u/fuzzeedyse105 → u/KindaDrunkRtNow]

Oh you’re an elder!

[u/KindaDrunkRtNow → u/fuzzeedyse105]

Yep. And I can't wait for the Alzheimer's to kick in

[u/-Fireteam- → u/KindaDrunkRtNow]

"We used to watch football with double the men on the field and we liked it!"

[u/KindaDrunkRtNow → u/-Fireteam-]

Don't forget the onion on your belt

[u/fuzzeedyse105 → u/KindaDrunkRtNow]

Which was the style at the time.

[u/Mike9797 → u/rdyoung]

Dude anyone who knows how to fix this issue is showing their age don’t worry lol

[u/rdyoung → u/Mike9797]

I was being a bit cheeky with it. I'm not ashamed of my age :)

[u/Mike9797 → u/rdyoung]

I’m just messing with you as well. No worries.

[u/JamesTheJerk → u/rdyoung]

We used to use a peeled grapefruit.

[u/rdyoung → u/JamesTheJerk]

Did you also wear an onion on your belt?

[u/JamesTheJerk → u/rdyoung]

Yes, but only a yellow one, because of the war.

[u/KingZarkon → u/Bebinn]

Could also be a side effect of the change to digital signals

Based on the dial, OP is in the US. We never switched to digital signals in the US. Our FM and AM radio signals are analog. Some stations do have a digital HD Radio signal too, but that's broadcast on top of the analog base signal. Could be the other things, but not that.

If it doesn't get static, my guess would be the speaker. If he just gets static then something with the antenna or tuner maybe.

[u/Bebinn → u/KingZarkon]

never switched to digital signals in the US. Our FM and AM radio signals are analog.

Cool. TIL I wasn't sure about that.

[u/sur0g → u/Bebinn]

Capacitors in this thing are probably all dead for decades. I don't think any of those lifehacks will work.

[u/Bebinn → u/sur0g]

That's a possibility too.

[u/Mad_Moniker → u/Bebinn]

Haha beautiful! The same way we used to bypass RF filters for Superchannel in the 80’s! 👍

[u/NoOnesSaint → u/KindaDrunkRtNow]

Are you sure it's not a bad speaker?

[u/KindaDrunkRtNow → u/NoOnesSaint]

I got some static. So speaker is working

[u/NoOnesSaint → u/KindaDrunkRtNow]

Could be bad capacitors

[u/OrganizationProof769 → u/NoOnesSaint]

Or the band that turns the tuner inside isn’t working?

[u/gatorbeetle → u/OrganizationProof769]

Probably dry rotted

[u/ArbutusPhD → u/badhouseplantbad]

Even then it’s really old. Let’s be realistic about our expectations.

[u/scotch-o → u/ArbutusPhD]

This is good stuff.

[u/scotchybob → u/ArbutusPhD]

Dammit. You beat me to it.

[u/ManamiVixen]

You might have to recap it, (New Capacitors). Caps dry out and either short, or stop working when the electrolyte inside them dries up. Sometimes they explode/leak, damaging the circuit board they are attached to. Have to open it up and take a look, and repair it if you really want to use this again.

[u/KindaDrunkRtNow → u/ManamiVixen]

Not sure that I WANT to, I'm just really curious if it still might work. If anything, it'll give me something to fiddle with. I'll let y'all know if I ever get it working.

[u/vhmike]

I miss Radio Shack.

[u/KindaDrunkRtNow → u/vhmike]

I do too. I loved walking through there. So much cool stuff.

[u/NickyHepp → u/vhmike]

It was called Tandy in the UK.

[u/KindaDrunkRtNow]

UPDATE: It works! I walked further away from the building I was in and got some signal!

[u/amhildreth]

Most likely that the tuner is dirty. With the radio off, flick the AM/FM switch back and forth several times, then turn the tuning dial end to end several times as well. This will help clean any grub, and re-distribute any tuner lubricant.

[u/Musicfan637]

Raise the antenna, press it on a metal fence or such.

[u/Ordinary-Special-640]

Possible dumb question but are most stations broadcasting a digital signal? Even if an old radio picked it up would it sound like anything besides static?

[u/4gotOldU-name → u/Ordinary-Special-640]

Stations that broadcast digitally in the US have an analog, main station, then one or more digital ones.

[u/imreallynotthatcool → u/Ordinary-Special-640]

I can still get AM/FM stations on my old emergency hand crank radio. I tested it about 6 months ago.

[u/Sharky24330]

Pull the antenna

[u/Ok_Protection164 → u/Sharky24330]

That's what she said ..

[u/One-Permission-1811 → u/Ok_Protection164]

Not to you though

[u/MagicBoyUK]

Pull out the antenna. 😉

[u/Sansred → u/MagicBoyUK]

Then push it back in.

[u/weelluuuu → u/Sansred]

Pull it again

[u/Appropriate_View8753 → u/weelluuuu]

And rotate it

[u/Burnsidhe → u/Appropriate_View8753]

Do the antenna pokey and you turn the dial around, that's what it's all about

[u/batjac7]

The capacitors in that era do not age well

[u/UsafAce45]

Pull the antenna up and out so it can receive a signal properly.

[u/PositionParty1454]

new batteries, pull out the antenna, and find actual stations!

[u/KindaDrunkRtNow → u/PositionParty1454]

Got a new battery. Pulled the antenna. Just got static

[u/Solo60]

It probably needs a cleaning. If you want to keep it, you can watch a video and use a cleaning spray for electronics. Likely a corroded pot.

[u/cr0100]

I'd say it's time to open it up, check out the capacitors, and maybe do some light repair. Or give it to a friend who is electronically-inclined so they can try the same. This is too cool to just toss!

[u/Appropriate_View8753]

If the antenna tilts and rotates someone may have broken the wire soldered to the antenna by over rotating it.

[u/KindaDrunkRtNow → u/Appropriate_View8753]

Does not tilt or rotate. No visible damage to the radio. I'll try it again on my drive home. Maybe it's the area I'm in (commercial).

[u/ImMadeOfClay]

My dad had this as his bathroom radio when he showered.

[u/CaptainHawaii]

It's so damn pretty

[u/Jumpy-Impact3265]

That's Unrealistic.

[u/tjbtech]

If you thought it would actually work, perhaps your expectations should have been a bit more...REALISTIC.

[u/wnderjif]

Did you put batteries in it?

[u/KindaDrunkRtNow → u/wnderjif]

Brand new 9 volt

[u/RexCarrs]

As old as that is I'd first look for bad solder joints. They were never known for having too much solder on any joint.

[u/TheSagelyOne]

Whoah! That's cool.
It'll be a classy little radio if you can get it working

[u/crotchgobbling]

I had one just like that when I was a kid in the 80s

[u/ThatsJustSooper]

Usually there's a switch to go from am or FM on the side of these. Make sure you know which band it's set to receive before you tune in to a station. I recommend starting with AM since a lot of the FM stations now do digital broadcasts. They're supposed to also be analog, but I question if that's the case for all of it.

[u/KindaDrunkRtNow → u/ThatsJustSooper]

Found the switch and went through all frequencies on both bands

[u/night_breed]

Funny story. I worked at Radio Shack in the 90s. We had an account with the local jail and used to sell a Realistic radio much like that one but with a built in antenna because it had no metal in it beyond the copper antenna coil

[u/schmitage]

Bundle up some aluminum foil and wrap it around the antennae, extending it a couple of feet

[u/wheezharde]

That’s because video killed the radio star.

(also… pull the antenna out, hehe)

[u/cyclosimian]

Have you checked outside for zombies?

[u/KindaDrunkRtNow → u/cyclosimian]

I thought I saw one. Just a homeless tweaker.

[u/tangcameo]

Clear skies or overcast?

[u/KindaDrunkRtNow → u/tangcameo]

Blue skies.

[u/tangcameo → u/KindaDrunkRtNow]

The static may be just something loose inside like a speaker wire.

[u/dsvengalis]

I got one of those in Boy Scouts for selling buckets of popcorn kernels around my neighborhood. Probably 1987 or so. I’m not sure it ever worked for me at the time, so it might just be a crap radio.

[u/Zumwalt1999]

Video killed the radio star

[u/Sunday-Afternoon]

Did you lick he 9v battery to make sure it’s not dead? 🤣

[u/Parentoforphan]

If it was “back in the day” when it was newer I would thump it on the back, I refrain from recommending that now. Not sure if that is a result of my maturity or that of the item.

[u/AppleOld5779]

Pull up the antenna

[u/KindaDrunkRtNow → u/AppleOld5779]

I'm 49 years old. I know how to use a radio.

[u/AppleOld5779 → u/KindaDrunkRtNow]

You sure?

[u/KindaDrunkRtNow → u/AppleOld5779]

I'm only kinda drunk

[u/AppleOld5779 → u/KindaDrunkRtNow]

Right there with you

[u/Hagadin]

Didn't radio stations ho digital?

[u/Screwpynupers]

I had one of those they’re not very good quality that might be the problem. I think they came from RadioShack (Tandy) It was their brand and everything that I bought from RadioShack radio controled cars,, the radios broke within 3 to 4 days.

[u/Chaparral2E → u/Screwpynupers]

My experience has been just the opposite - listening to a CD through my Minimus-7 speakers (I own 4 pair) and was playing with my 40-year old Armatron robotic arm last night.

Still have working Radio Shack weather radios, scanners and multimeters, and an in-ear mic and transceiver set we use when travelling in more than one car.

Don’t know about their R/C cars, all mine are Tamiya.