sputnik Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 There seems to be alot of power cord knowledge and attention lately here in the Technical Questions. If it is alright, I'd like to ask a completely uninformed question. Ok, I'll admit it here - I own a Bose Wave Radio. I didn't find it in a ditch and it wasn't a gift, I actually bought it and it sits in our kitchen. For the sake of brevity let's just assume all of the abuse this admission might bring is all over now (I know what POS means too). Anyway, the radio that I mentioned earlier has an antenna in the power cord according to the literature that came with it. It seems to work. I live out of town and when the signal gets weak or fuzzy I'll jiggle or move the power cord and the signal gets better. Maybe most desk radios also use the power cord as an antenna and this particular manufacturer just makes a big deal out of it. I'm fairly uninformed on electronics but I would like to better understand how this works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott0527 Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 Phew, at least you're not asking about what sonic differences an upgraded power chord will bring you. As far as the antenna in the Blose(sorry couldn't resist) power chord goes, it's probably just a dipole antenna type deal using the power chord as an antenna. My bother gets great reception from his Dyna FM3 tuner with a single piece of 12" wire hanging off of the antenna terminal connections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sputnik Posted March 5, 2005 Author Share Posted March 5, 2005 ---------------- On 3/5/2005 9:01:27 PM scott0527 wrote: Phew, at least you're not asking about what sonic differences an upgraded power chord will bring you. ---------------- And I'm not asking if high end power cords get cleaner FM reception either. Added: I've been thinking about my question and Googling around a bit. Does this anntena thing work just because frequncies of say 100MHz and 60Hz are so different that they can peacefully coexist in the same transmission? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 well the answer to your first question: Do most manufacters put antennas in their pwoer cords? NO, the reason bose does this is to minimize cluster.... which is what they are all about Your second question, there is probably and i believe another wire that is just in the insulation jacket of the wiring, it doesn't acutally use the pwoer cord as an antenna, it just has a basic dipole antenna (little black wire) that runs in the power cord insulation, therefore there is not affect with the 60 hz and 100 mhz transmission, even so if they were the same it wouldn't have much of an affect in that sense, lastly the reason that it sounds beter when you jiigle it is because the antenna built into the power cord is using you (literally) as a source of reception, the human body is a great source of fm reception... anyways hope this answers your question Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sputnik Posted March 6, 2005 Author Share Posted March 6, 2005 ---------------- On 3/5/2005 10:06:55 PM Gramas701 wrote: ... the antenna built into the power cord is using you (literally) as a source of reception, the human body is a great source of fm reception... anyways hope this answers your question ---------------- Thanks. I remember an episode of Gilligans Island where that happened. In order to be a human antenna, do you need to make electrical contact? I always assumed that the way reception changes as I move about is just interference. But just touching the radio sometimes has an effect. This is probably elementary stuff to most but I'm just a simpleton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ygmn Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 It does use the power conductors as the antenna...... Lots of cheap-o & clock radios do the same.... inside the radio.,....the power cable is also connected to the radio antenna input point..... FM and AM signals are so much higher then 60 hz...there is no issues... Reception may not be as good ...but it works...and is cheap... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott0527 Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 ---------------- On 3/6/2005 11:39:01 AM sputnik wrote: ---------------- On 3/5/2005 10:06:55 PM Gramas701 wrote: ... the antenna built into the power cord is using you (literally) as a source of reception, the human body is a great source of fm reception... anyways hope this answers your question ---------------- Thanks. I remember an episode of Gilligans Island where that happened. In order to be a human antenna, do you need to make electrical contact? I always assumed that the way reception changes as I move about is just interference. But just touching the radio sometimes has an effect. This is probably elementary stuff to most but I'm just a simpleton. ---------------- Gilligans Island The Professor could rig up a hell of radio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sputnik Posted March 6, 2005 Author Share Posted March 6, 2005 ---------------- On 3/6/2005 1:14:51 PM scott0527 wrote: Gilligans Island The Professor could rig up a hell of radio. ---------------- Yeah. He could build a nuclear reactor out of coconuts and sea shells but couldn't fix a boat. EDIT: I didn't mean to question the abilities of the Professor - he and Dr. Benton Quest have been my role models. But honestly, I think that Dr. Quest would have had them off of that island while the series was still black and white. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 dr. quest was the man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 the GROUND of the power cord . is what is used for the antenna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sputnik Posted March 6, 2005 Author Share Posted March 6, 2005 ---------------- On 3/6/2005 4:33:04 PM bsafirebird1969 wrote: the GROUND of the power cord . is what is used for the antenna ---------------- The radio has a two prong plug, so would the neutral act as the antenna? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yaffstone Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 Ground can't act as an antenna as it's grounded. Neutural is connected to ground at the circuit breaker box so it's not going to pick up signal either. One could use the hot lead if it can be isolated and demodulated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sputnik Posted March 6, 2005 Author Share Posted March 6, 2005 All of the sudden, I don't feel so stupid asking this question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yaffstone Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 There aren't any stupid questions; only stupid people who won't ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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