Yes I know there is a yahoo group for them before someone provides the link.
;-) I plug and unplug my external antenna quite often (as should everyone.) My
question and worry is that over a period of time it will do damage to the
entrance of the radio.

Is there an adapter at Rat Shack that I can plug my external antenna into.
Follow me? One that I can just leave plugged into all the time, then plug
'into' when I'm ready to listen?

Hope this makes sense. ;-)

"Dxluver" wrote in message
...
Yes I know there is a yahoo group for them before someone provides the
link.
;-) I plug and unplug my external antenna quite often (as should
everyone.) My
question and worry is that over a period of time it will do damage to
the
entrance of the radio.

Is there an adapter at Rat Shack that I can plug my external antenna
into.
Follow me? One that I can just leave plugged into all the time, then
plug
'into' when I'm ready to listen?

Hope this makes sense. ;-)

Are you thinking of making a short extension and plugging and unplugging
the antenna into the extension to save wear on the radio's antenna jack?
Sounds like a good idea to me. I don't think Radio Shack sells such an
extension, but they probably still sell suitable connectors, so you can
make your own.

Frank Dresser

You're right -- I don't think they have a "short" extension, but they do
have stereo miniplug headphone cord extensions, which would work fine if you
shortened it up a bit.

However, I agree with Frank that you could easily make one (probably much
cheaper, too) from parts available at RS.
-- Stinger

"Frank Dresser" wrote in message
...

"Dxluver" wrote in message
...
Yes I know there is a yahoo group for them before someone provides the
link.
;-) I plug and unplug my external antenna quite often (as should
everyone.) My
question and worry is that over a period of time it will do damage to
the
entrance of the radio.

Is there an adapter at Rat Shack that I can plug my external antenna
into.
Follow me? One that I can just leave plugged into all the time, then
plug
'into' when I'm ready to listen?

Hope this makes sense. ;-)

Are you thinking of making a short extension and plugging and unplugging
the antenna into the extension to save wear on the radio's antenna jack?
Sounds like a good idea to me. I don't think Radio Shack sells such an
extension, but they probably still sell suitable connectors, so you can
make your own.

Frank Dresser

However, I agree with Frank that you could easily make one (probably much
cheaper, too) from parts available at RS.

"Make one." OK Stinger, talk to me here. How could I easily make one. I
know I don't want to get the Rat Shack troops plugging and messin' with my
receiver, then I'd have to force em' to send it back and *tune it up.* ;-)

Give me an idea what you're talking about here.

On Mon, 9 Feb 2004 17:25:38 -0600, Frank Dresser wrote
(in message ):


"Dxluver" wrote in message
...
Yes I know there is a yahoo group for them before someone provides the
link.
;-) I plug and unplug my external antenna quite often (as should
everyone.) My
question and worry is that over a period of time it will do damage to
the
entrance of the radio.

Is there an adapter at Rat Shack that I can plug my external antenna
into.
Follow me? One that I can just leave plugged into all the time, then
plug
'into' when I'm ready to listen?

Hope this makes sense. ;-)

Are you thinking of making a short extension and plugging and unplugging
the antenna into the extension to save wear on the radio's antenna jack?
Sounds like a good idea to me. I don't think Radio Shack sells such an
extension, but they probably still sell suitable connectors, so you can
make your own.

Frank Dresser



Frank, isn't that just an 1/8" stereo jack (so-called "Sony Plug & Jack")?


That's one of the most common "extension cords" around.

[Or am I missin' somethin'?]

/gray/

"Gray Shockley" wrote in message
.com...

Frank, isn't that just an 1/8" stereo jack (so-called "Sony Plug &
Jack")?


That's one of the most common "extension cords" around.

[Or am I missin' somethin'?]

/gray/



I don't know what plug it uses, but I pictured a short extension,
because he wanted to keep the extension plugged into the radio. I've
seen short Y adapters, and maybe that's OK, or maybe a longer cord is
also OK. But you raise a good point. A look through the cords and
adapters might turn up just what he wants.

Frank Dresser

Sounds like a good idea to me. I don't think Radio Shack sells such an
extension, but they probably still sell suitable connectors, so you can
make your own.

I'd think an 1/8" mono-to-stereo (or vice-versa) adapter would work fine,
considering you're not having to deal with stereo signals for antenna pick-up.
On the other hand (and this may be a large hand!), my experience tells me that
the typical 1/8" ext.ant. jack on most portables (if not all made currently)
will not see the whip antenna properly unless the ext. ant. jack is vacant;
i.e., you could keep the adapter in, and just unplug the antenna cable, but if
you leave the adapter in, the radio will see the adapter as the antenna, and
ignore the whip. I'm sure I could be wrong, but I know that just plugging in an
1/8" plug with NO wire on it (or coax) shorts out the whip. Not much of an
antenna in that case. I'd say that you should just unplug it when you need to,
and keep a few extra jacks on hand, to replace onboard in the event of the
stock jack breaking.
Feel free to shoot me down if I'm wrong, but I just wouldn't want to see
someone buy or make an adapter plug which essentially killed their whip
reception when plugged in WITHOUT the attending external antenna.
Linus

The antenna jack on the 909 is a stereo jack. I wont go into the details of
wiring as it is on the web. True, leaving the extension cable plugged in
will deactivate the whip. Having spare jacks around sounds good but, if it
is anything like most radios, it is a board mount. Good luck finding one and
it is a rather picky job to replace one.

"GrtPmpkin32" wrote in message
...
Sounds like a good idea to me. I don't think Radio Shack sells such an
extension, but they probably still sell suitable connectors, so you can
make your own.

I'd think an 1/8" mono-to-stereo (or vice-versa) adapter would work fine,
considering you're not having to deal with stereo signals for antenna
pick-up.
On the other hand (and this may be a large hand!), my experience tells me
that
the typical 1/8" ext.ant. jack on most portables (if not all made
currently)
will not see the whip antenna properly unless the ext. ant. jack is
vacant;
i.e., you could keep the adapter in, and just unplug the antenna cable,
but if
you leave the adapter in, the radio will see the adapter as the antenna,
and
ignore the whip. I'm sure I could be wrong, but I know that just plugging
in an
1/8" plug with NO wire on it (or coax) shorts out the whip. Not much of an
antenna in that case. I'd say that you should just unplug it when you need
to,
and keep a few extra jacks on hand, to replace onboard in the event of the
stock jack breaking.
Feel free to shoot me down if I'm wrong, but I just wouldn't want to see
someone buy or make an adapter plug which essentially killed their whip
reception when plugged in WITHOUT the attending external antenna.
Linus

i.e., you could keep the adapter in, and just unplug the antenna cable,

That's exactly what I'd be doing Linus. BTW, my batteries just went out while
typing this, popped in a fresh pair of rechargables (really come in handy and
have saved me lots of money I'm sure.)

but if
you leave the adapter in, the radio will see the adapter as the antenna, and
ignore the whip.

That's fine by me. While the 'adapter' would be plugged in, I wouldn't be
using it. I'm not concerned in the least of it affecting the rod antenna.

I'd say that you should just unplug it when you need to,
and keep a few extra jacks on hand, to replace onboard in the event of the
stock jack breaking.

I don't like that scenario.:-(

but I just wouldn't want to see
someone buy or make an adapter plug which essentially killed their whip
reception when plugged in WITHOUT the attending external antenna.

But I don't understand why you feel that way, I mean I do I suppose. But the
way in that I'm using my external antenna jack by plugging and unplugging,
sooner or later is gonna do damage. Find an 'adapter' to keep plugged into the
external antenna jack all the time, if I'm not listening, then my antenna
won't be plugged into it anyhow. If I leave the house and take it with me,
then I'd take the adapter out of the external jack and use the whip or even for
that matter.....keep the adapter STILL plugged in and unroll my 500ft. spool of
wire that already has the same jack soldered on the end already, that'd plug
right into it anyhow and unroll it (the spool of wire) and DX away. :-)
**Follow me Linus?

**Follow me Linus?

I do indeed. I was under the impression that the removal of the external
antenna was for using the whip, but if that's not a factor, then yes, disregard
my post.
Linus