What is this wallplate?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › What is this wallplate?

Yabanize

2350 posts

Uber Geek

#180944 27-Sep-2015 12:58

Is it for old radios? Old TV? What kind of antenna does it connect to, is it on the roof?

1 | 2

20581 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1395212 27-Sep-2015 12:59

It's for the aerial...

DarthKermit

5346 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1395213 27-Sep-2015 13:05

It's for an old short wave radio antenna. If you look in your attic, you should find a loop antenna strung around the rafters.

Technofreak

6530 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1395215 27-Sep-2015 13:07

Most likely an old AM radio aerial. The aerial it connected to is probably long gone.

Quite a few old radios had short wave frequencies which enabled the radio to receive broadcasts from considerable distances. You could listen to an Aussie, or American or UK station or anywhere else for that matter. To be able to receive these broadcasts you needed an external aerial, usually a length of wire strung between two points a bit like a long clothes line.

Sony Xperia XA2 running Sailfish OS. https://sailfishos.org The true independent open source mobile OS
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
Dell Inspiron 14z i5

k1w1k1d

1526 posts

Uber Geek

#1395221 27-Sep-2015 13:21

Crikey, that is old. Haven't seen an aerial wallplate like that for over 30 years.

DarthKermit

5346 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1395226 27-Sep-2015 13:32

^^^

A lo of circa 1950's houses still have them, if they haven't been removed. Our 1952 house still had the loop antenna in the attic.

Sideface

9360 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1395230 27-Sep-2015 14:06

1934 hat radio

Sideface

gzt

17140 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1395235 27-Sep-2015 14:25

Requires a compatible entertainment system:

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

DarthKermit

5346 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1395237 27-Sep-2015 14:39

gzt: Requires a compatible entertainment system:

Where's the iPod dock? Does it support Wifi and Ethernet?

RunningMan

8960 posts

Uber Geek

#1395238 27-Sep-2015 14:49

DarthKermit:

Where's the iPod dock? Does it support Wifi and Ethernet?

Don't get your hopes up - it's bluetooth only.

Technofreak

6530 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1395239 27-Sep-2015 14:49

The sign, which you can see the bottom right edge of in the upper left of the picture isn't in keeping with the period of the wallpaper or the stereo unit. xxxxx.org.uk

Sony Xperia XA2 running Sailfish OS. https://sailfishos.org The true independent open source mobile OS
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
Dell Inspiron 14z i5

Sideface

9360 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1395243 27-Sep-2015 14:54

Contemporary radio

Sideface

DarthKermit

5346 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1395244 27-Sep-2015 14:56

Technofreak: The sign, which you can see the bottom right edge of in the upper left of the picture isn't in keeping with the period of the wallpaper or the stereo unit. xxxxx.org.uk

Hopefully the person who designed that wallpaper was shot for crimes against fashion.

Sideface

9360 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1395245 27-Sep-2015 14:57

... and the new TV set

Sideface

gzt

17140 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1395251 27-Sep-2015 15:18

Technofreak: The sign, which you can see the bottom right edge of in the upper left of the picture isn't in keeping with the period of the wallpaper or the stereo unit. xxxxx.org.uk

Yep its in a museum. Btw Motat has a new display which includes an example. The same room is home to the new computer display with system 360 and zx machines.

InstallerUFB

840 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1395270 27-Sep-2015 16:33

Yabanize:

Is it for old radios? Old TV? What kind of antenna does it connect to, is it on the roof?

The Top terminal went up into the roof on an open wire and the bottom to earth , again via open wire to the house earth stake (commonly visable stapled out and down outside walls *under the 20 layers or so of paint* on retrofit 1900-1920s villas :-)

1 | 2