FM band tuning noise

[JC]

Picked up a 1976ish Panasonic RF-1080 and have restored it to working
condition with one glitch, the FM band has "noise" when tuning between
stations.

Not a static like sound, as best as I can descibe it a "crackling"
sound. It pops up and moves around different areas on the dial. Could it
be dirt on part of the tuning capacitor vanes since it's not across the
entire dial? It's a ganged polyester film unit with AM tuning also and
that band has no problems. What type of cleaner might be best for this
type of cap?

Where might one still find a service manual or schematic? And where does
one find a large selection of replacement knobs and antennas, this radio
has missing/broken parts which I'm sure Panasonic can not help me
replace. - JC

 

[Michael Black]

Picked up a 1976ish Panasonic RF-1080 and have restored it to working
condition with one glitch, the FM band has "noise" when tuning between
stations.

This newsgroup is for the discussion about the design of electronics.

It isn't about the repair of electronic devices.

There is a whole newsgroup for that, which you were either too lazy
or too clueless to find before you posted here.

Michael

 

[Jim Thompson]

This newsgroup is for the discussion about the design of electronics.

It isn't about the repair of electronic devices.

There is a whole newsgroup for that, which you were either too lazy
or too clueless to find before you posted here.

Michael

Michael! Oh, CRAP! What the **** have you contributed to this group?

...Jim Thompson

 

[Paul Hovnanian P.E.]

Picked up a 1976ish Panasonic RF-1080 and have restored it to working
condition with one glitch, the FM band has "noise" when tuning between
stations.

Not a static like sound, as best as I can descibe it a "crackling"
sound. It pops up and moves around different areas on the dial. Could it
be dirt on part of the tuning capacitor vanes since it's not across the
entire dial?

That could be the problem, particularly if the crackling noise is worse
while you are tuning the unit.

It's a ganged polyester film unit with AM tuning also and
that band has no problems. What type of cleaner might be best for this
type of cap?

I'm not familiar with the construction details of variable polyester
caps, but the air dielectric variables have two places that dirt can get
in. Dust can get between the plates. For this, just blow it out with
some canned air. Some of these units have a wiper or sliding contact for
the rotor side which can accumulate dirt. I'd use some tuner contact
cleaner on a thin piece of cloth or other non abrasive material. Slip it
between the contact surfaces and clean them. I've been told that some of
these contacts have thin plating, so abrasives aren't a good idea.

Where might one still find a service manual or schematic? And where does
one find a large selection of replacement knobs and antennas, this radio
has missing/broken parts which I'm sure Panasonic can not help me
replace. - JC

I don't know. That might be too new to interest antique collectors. A
friend of mine was able to locate data on a 1940's era radio he is
restoring on the web.