Scott Antenna Question

[Eric Nelson Coon]

I have just received my late 7 knob Allwave 23 from repair, and while it seems to be working well pulling in the strong stations and my AM transmitter, it is lacking in receiving more distance stations during the day and night.  I wonder if I have the antenna hooked up wrong?   In addition to the grounding post there are two guillotine posts, one marked ANT and the other one is missing the top so I am unclear what purpose it serves.  Right now I only have the post marked ANT connected (which is located next to the Ground Post) to about 20' of bare wire running around near my ceiling in my room.  If anyone can clarify the proper procedure for using the antenna with my set I would be very appreciative.  Thanks, Eric 

[Y2K Bruce]

Might be a selectivity/sensitivity knob setting too. My 1st AW23 would not play when I got it back from my repairman. When I called him he told me about the settings on the knobs on the right side of the dial and their importance. Once I reset those knobs it was voila huge volume ans selectivity

[Eric Nelson Coon]

Thank you Bruce, I'll try it.......Eric

Y2K Bruce said:

Might be a selectivity/sensitivity knob setting too. My 1st AW23 would not play when I got it back from my repairman. When I called him he told me about the settings on the knobs on the right side of the dial and their importance. Once I reset those knobs it was voila huge volume ans selectivity

[David C. Poland]

Two antenna posts by the ground post indicates a later AW-23 with upgraded Supershield Antenna Coupling System announced in the  Oct 1936 issue Scott News. As with subsequent Scott models, if not using the Scott double dipole super antenna with twin lead in, then wire the center antenna post to the ground post, and hook your single wire antenna to the the other antenna post.

For weaker stations, advance the sensitivity control.

The Scott instruction manual tell you when tuning for stations to set the far right Selectivity-Fidelity control to minimum (counter clockwise for narrow band width reception). When you have the desired station, then advance the selectivity (also affects treble) to the agreeable sound quality - meaning find a setting with agreeable higher mid range audio and minimal adjacent station interference. Much past mid point is intended for strong local stations and long distance reception suffers. Read the instruction manual available in this Scott site's archive section in set folder for the AW-23. 

[Eric Nelson Coon]

Thank you very much for the info David.  Question, once I wire the center post to the ground post, do I still utilize the ground post for grounding the set along with the wire from the center post?

David C. Poland said:

Two antenna posts by the ground post indicates a later AW-23 with upgraded Supershield Antenna Coupling System announced in the  Oct 1936 issue Scott News. As with subsequent Scott models, if not using the Scott double dipole super antenna with twin lead in, then wire the center antenna post to the ground post, and hook your single wire antenna to the the other antenna post.

For weaker stations, advance the sensitivity control.

The Scott instruction manual tell you when tuning for stations to set the far right Selectivity-Fidelity control to minimum (counter clockwise for narrow band width reception). When you have the desired station, then advance the selectivity (also affects treble) to the agreeable sound quality - meaning find a setting with agreeable higher mid range audio and minimal adjacent station interference. Much past mid point is intended for strong local stations and long distance reception suffers. Read the instruction manual available in this Scott site's archive section in set folder for the AW-23. 

[Curtis Schweitzer]

In addition to the info already given I would recommend a longwire antenna of about 100 feet if you have room.  I have one strung across my back yard and my reception is excellent.

[Eric Nelson Coon]

Thanks Curtis!

[Eric Nelson Coon]

Hey David, I followed your instructions and now my set is really sucking in the channels.  Thanks from a newbie.  Eric

Eric Nelson Coon said:

Thank you very much for the info David.  Question, once I wire the center post to the ground post, do I still utilize the ground post for grounding the set along with the wire from the center post?

David C. Poland said:

Two antenna posts by the ground post indicates a later AW-23 with upgraded Supershield Antenna Coupling System announced in the  Oct 1936 issue Scott News. As with subsequent Scott models, if not using the Scott double dipole super antenna with twin lead in, then wire the center antenna post to the ground post, and hook your single wire antenna to the the other antenna post.

For weaker stations, advance the sensitivity control.

The Scott instruction manual tell you when tuning for stations to set the far right Selectivity-Fidelity control to minimum (counter clockwise for narrow band width reception). When you have the desired station, then advance the selectivity (also affects treble) to the agreeable sound quality - meaning find a setting with agreeable higher mid range audio and minimal adjacent station interference. Much past mid point is intended for strong local stations and long distance reception suffers. Read the instruction manual available in this Scott site's archive section in set folder for the AW-23. 

[David C. Poland]

Glad I helped, Eric.

The ground may improve reception and may reduce noise. I haven't used a ground for sometime as Scotts are so good anyway. Try a ground and decide. (Do not connect to any gas pipe!) 

Scott manual says drive a pipe into the ground or connect with a clamp to the street side of the water meter pipe, assuming your home has a metal/copper outside pipe (a lot of water service pipes are plastic these days).

With a long wire antenna, Scott says about 75 feet including the lead in, which is what I used.

Some years ago I made a duplicate of the mid 1930's version of the Double Dipole Scott Super Antenna with twin lead in, which connects to the outboard antenna switch that hangs on a rear tube shield with connections to the ground and single antenna post - typical of the Scott Fifteen and most of the AW-23 production run. Info of this antenna including dimensions is in this Scott site set folder. I used it until our last move, and haven't set it up again.

[David C. Poland]

Oh - and after connecting the middle antenna post to the ground post, also connect the ground post to a good ground, if you use a ground wire.

If you reproduce the Scott super antenna,  note that the lead in is a specific length with excess coiled up in the cabinet. 

After about 1936, the Super Antenna was redesigned with a coil ( of unknown design) that hangs out doors at the confluence of the antenna wires ahead the twin lead in. - which is why I followed the earlier mid 1930's design. The outboard antenna switch that hangs on the tube shield changes the antenna between broadcast and the short wave band reception, and they do turn up.