The Tecsun PL-680
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Rolf Snijder, who writes:
I did a modification today on the Tecsun PL-680 [which allows for an] external antenna on LW and MW.
The internal ferriet is also working, but on my active loop, MW and LW is now working !
So far away stations I can now receive on this portable radio.
It is only a560 pF capacitor added!
Click to enlarge.
Click to enlarge.
It works on LW and MW now with this mod.
FM is less now I think, maybe I will put it on a switch so I can turn it off.
And now also the ferrite is still working, so I hope to find a solution for that.
Many thanks for sharing your modification and photos, Rolf! Check out Rolf’s other PL-680 mod by clicking here.
Sir,
I have made a simple but less invasive modification to my TecSun PL-680 by constructing a simple
induction coil using a cardboard form and slipping it over the external antenna works really good.
I have a 120 foot long-wire antenna outside, 40 feet up that i connect to the induction coil with an alligator clip. I can’t send pictures here but give me your email and i’ll send a picture of my coil.
best regards,
bob zimmmermann
There is an easier way of connecting an external antenna for almost every radio out there without disturb ing or affectting its performance in others bands, just put a 3 to 4 loops or so of fine wire at at edge of the ferrite bar antenna, one end of the wire loop goes to earth and the other one to the external antenna. This is a magnetic coupling to the existing AM and LW antenna.
I’ve read and watched many reviews that rate the PL-660 ever so slightly higher than the PL-680 so I can’t help but wonder if the various modifications that Rolf has been doing to his PL-680 bring it up to par or perhaps even surpass the PL-660?
If only there were ways to improve the impressively feature-rich but fatally flawed PL-880. I’ve always felt that radio could be and should be better than it is…