Re: Packard rotary antenna

Posted by HH56 On 2012/8/29 21:22:50

Depends on which wire you mean.

The antenna wire to radio plugs into a short wire which clips or solders on to the shaft in the space between outside roof and inside support structure. Removing the antenna, disconnecting the lead in at the plug and repairing the short wire, then reinstalling should not be too difficult.

The mechanism that raises the telescoping section via the knob is a bit more problematic. As I recall, it is a flat spring like "wire" around 3/32 or so wide and a few thousandths thick. I don't remember exact specs or what type metal it is but do remember a coiled configuration like a clock spring. There is a housing where it coils located in the chrome base of antenna. As the knob turns, the "wire" is fed into a channel guide as it winds or unwinds to move the section. If that is the broken part you mean, then finding a replacement may be a task. Also, if the break location is at the attachment to top section, that might be another issue.

Several metals used for making constant force springs are available which might be a good substitute but the retail suppliers seem to have 1/4" width as the smallest they stock. Once measurements are determined, if there is a close in size stock clock spring, that might possibly be made to work and could be found at one of those shops.