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   Home » Off Air Audio» REL Precedent Tuner - Antenna Connection (10 posts, 1 page)
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  »  New  A tube tuner? REL Precedent 646C..  REL Precedent Report...  Off Air Audio Forum     24  272379  07-28-2008
01-26-2009 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
oatman
Posts 2
Joined on 01-27-2009
Post #: 1
Post ID: 9552
Reply to: 9552
REL Precedent Tuner - Antenna Connection
fiogf49gjkf0d
Hello All;

Any idea where I can get an antenna connection for an REL tuner. It appears to be a clear plastic connector with holes in one end and set screws to secure the strands of a 300 ohm dipole antenna with another end that plugs into the back of the tuner. I understand that this may have been a common connection set up back in the 50's but I just get blank stares when I ask in RadioShack or local electronic supply houses.

Thanks for any ideas
01-27-2009 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Joe Roberts
Posts 48
Joined on 01-12-2009
Post #: 2
Post ID: 9553
Reply to: 9552
REL connector
fiogf49gjkf0d


Yes, that WAS a common connector but this won't help you now. Radio Shack sold those as recently as ten years ago.

Since the female side of the connectors has spring terminals there is some variability permitted in the diameter of the male contacts. I suggest trying speaker cable pins and test probe pins. Speaker pins tend to be a little thinner than the pins on that connector, but might work. In a pinch, a few pieces of 16 ga. or so solid core wire might work.

Most antennas today would not be 300 ohm balanced twinlead. If you consult the manual, I believe that you will find that 75 ohm unbal only connects to one side of that connector and ground.

Check the connector from the back and see if it is possible to thread wires through the connector holes, in which case you can have a ground coming through one hole and a hot coming through the other. Terminate these wires in a 75 ohm F or BNC per your requirements. Of course with the coax connector installed, you will no longer be able to remove the cover but how often will you need to do that?

The other alternative is to get a 75ohm to 300 Balun and solder solid core wires or pins to the side with the spade lugs in order to plug into the connector. This is what I did when I used my last twinlead connector. There will be some loss with your average cheap balun but the REL has excessive sensitivity for urban situations anyway, so you should be fine.

One other suggestion: look on ebay for old rabbit ear TV antennas that might have that connector. Although most had spade lugs, I have seen some with the moleded lucite twinlead plug that you need. As you suspected that is a 1950s item. By the sixties, most FM/TV twinlead terminations were screw terminal.
01-27-2009 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
drdna
San Francisco, California
Posts 526
Joined on 10-29-2005
Post #: 3
Post ID: 9554
Reply to: 9553
TV antenna
fiogf49gjkf0d
Like this one?

http://cgi.ebay.com/AweSoMe-Vintatge-50s-TV-Antenna_W0QQitemZ250363939125QQihZ015QQcategoryZ73374QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Adrian
01-27-2009 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Joe Roberts
Posts 48
Joined on 01-12-2009
Post #: 4
Post ID: 9555
Reply to: 9554
Yeah but
fiogf49gjkf0d


You cant see the end of the wire to know if it has a connector.

This might have been a stupid suggestion because most of those antennas will have spade lugs or no connector whatsoever, just bare wires.
01-27-2009 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Romy the Cat


Boston, MA
Posts 10,159
Joined on 05-28-2004
Post #: 5
Post ID: 9557
Reply to: 9552
The ode to the BNC connectors.
fiogf49gjkf0d

Oatman,

I might understand that you have a desire to keep your REL as authentic as possible (that I feel is not a dignified objective to begin with – this is Tuner not the Fabergé Egg), but if you go not for a look but for the actual result then trash all that crap that REL put in there and run a plane and simple BNC connector right to the front end. Perhaps it is me but in all tuners that I have I get rid any connectors and replace them with BNC. The BNC connectors are in use for many decades in measurement equipment and Good know why anything else was “invented”. In my view BNC is so perfect that any further “progress” had to be abandon.

The Cat

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche
01-27-2009 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Joe Roberts
Posts 48
Joined on 01-12-2009
Post #: 6
Post ID: 9561
Reply to: 9557
BNC...
fiogf49gjkf0d


Keep in mind that there are 50 ohm and 75 ohm BNC connectors. The inner pins are different sizes. If you plug a 50 ohm male into a 75 ohm female, you will stretch out the receptacle and, over time, ruin it.

There are also impedance matching considerations but the practical  effect on receiving apps is nil.

A 75 ohm male usually makes contact with a 50 ohm female, but it is a close call. For 75 ohm FM apps, it is best to search out a 75 ohm female BNC.

BNC is far from the ultimate VHF connector, but it is far more than adequate for casual indoor receiving applications--certainly better than anything that bolts to 300 ohm twin lead.
09-26-2009 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Joe Roberts
Posts 48
Joined on 01-12-2009
Post #: 7
Post ID: 11827
Reply to: 9555
Free REL antenna connectors
fiogf49gjkf0d


Just scored a box of these obsolete 300 ohm connectors for the REL.

Drop me a line if you need one. Free to any REL owner.

Joe
04-13-2010 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
mark2870
Posts 1
Joined on 04-13-2010
Post #: 8
Post ID: 13280
Reply to: 11827
Obsolete 300 ohm connectors for the REL.
fiogf49gjkf0d
Joe,

How can I get one? Or, even a picture would help.

Thanks.

Mark
04-13-2010 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Joe Roberts
Posts 48
Joined on 01-12-2009
Post #: 9
Post ID: 13282
Reply to: 13280
Free Connectors
fiogf49gjkf0d
Gimme a couple days to find the box and I'll send you a couple.

PM or email your address.

Joe
04-13-2010 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
oatman
Posts 2
Joined on 01-27-2009
Post #: 10
Post ID: 13284
Reply to: 13282
REL Precedent Connectors
fiogf49gjkf0d
Hi Joe;

Just received notification of recent responsis re: my origonal question over a year ago. Let me know if you locate the box and can send a couple as I really need them. (Getting around to finally setting up 2 I have in a new system)

Thanks so much and best regards!

Dave
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