Testing Antenna Cable
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 3,591
Likes: 831
From: PA
Testing Antenna Cable
This may seem like a simple one… Perhaps I’m seeing this as too simple which is why I am asking.
I’m getting my 1970 ready for the body drop and as a car that has been off the road since 1978 and completely apart since 1980, there are a few items that have gone missing over the years. One of those is the antenna cable. As it turns out, I have three spares that I’ve put aside over the years, but was curious if they were in good shape or not. My thinking is that this is a solid cable and doing a simple continuity test will tell me what I need to know… Is it as easy as I think or am I overlooking something?
Thanks in advance for any help provided.
Regards,
Stan Falenski
I’m getting my 1970 ready for the body drop and as a car that has been off the road since 1978 and completely apart since 1980, there are a few items that have gone missing over the years. One of those is the antenna cable. As it turns out, I have three spares that I’ve put aside over the years, but was curious if they were in good shape or not. My thinking is that this is a solid cable and doing a simple continuity test will tell me what I need to know… Is it as easy as I think or am I overlooking something?
Thanks in advance for any help provided.
Regards,
Stan Falenski
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 893
Likes: 243
From: Green Valley Ca
AI response:
- Center Conductor Continuity (Tip to Tip): Place one probe on the center pin at the radio end and the other on the center pin (or tip) at the antenna end. The meter should read close to 0Ω (continuity).
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 3,591
Likes: 831
From: PA
Appreciate the response! Unfortunately, that test won’t work… Tried testing continuity on the three original cables that I have looking for a “0” (continuity) reading. Kept coming up “1” (open) on all three. Thought that I was overlooking something during my testing (all three cables bad?) which is why I posted here. After further investigation, I discovered that original antenna cables of this design have a capacitor (two, actually) inline with the cable. Running a standard continuity test with a typical mechanic type tester on such a cable will show an open state even if everything is in perfect condition. So, I’m pretty much back where I started. I’m going to assume the cable is good and install it “as is”… If I have to pull it later, I can do it even if it is a bit of a pain to do so.
Regards,
Stan Falenski
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,957
Likes: 576
From: Pittsburgh PA
i tried searching for way for my 66. one day i just lost reception. I too could never come up with a way to test the cable other than a radio.
i actually built myself a little radio bench tester setup for this reason. i just got some cheap speakers off amazon, and an antenna. couple quick wires to a battery and i can test any radio, or swap speakers/antennas to test individual components
i actually built myself a little radio bench tester setup for this reason. i just got some cheap speakers off amazon, and an antenna. couple quick wires to a battery and i can test any radio, or swap speakers/antennas to test individual components
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 3,591
Likes: 831
From: PA
i tried searching for way for my 66. one day i just lost reception. I too could never come up with a way to test the cable other than a radio.
i actually built myself a little radio bench tester setup for this reason. i just got some cheap speakers off amazon, and an antenna. couple quick wires to a battery and i can test any radio, or swap speakers/antennas to test individual components
i actually built myself a little radio bench tester setup for this reason. i just got some cheap speakers off amazon, and an antenna. couple quick wires to a battery and i can test any radio, or swap speakers/antennas to test individual components
Yes, what you actually did was the same conclusion that I came to; build a test bench of sorts with a real radio (or drop a good bit of money on some very specific and expensive test equipment). Considering that this is the last car with a radio that I’ll be taking completely apart, I’m going to take my chances with one of the used cables and replace it if necessary… Just too much effort required to build a test bench just to check an antenna cable that was working when I took it off of the car.
I appreciate your response… And I think you’ve come up with the only viable way to test all of the radio components if that is required.
Regards,
Stan Falenski
