![\"sony-icf-sw55c\"](\"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/sony-icf-sw55c.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Many thanks to SWLing Post<\/em> contributor, James Patterson, who writes:<\/p>\n I have owned the Sony ICF-SW55 for around 15 years or more. I like to change my listening pleasure from radio to radio, giving each one a rest, as they are all different to a degree.\u00a0So I put the SW55 away and it sat unused for about six moths, as with my radio collection, I had others to listen to.<\/p>\n But when I decided to listen to the SW55 again, it just wouldn’t power up at all. I have read posts from other listeners saying their radios won’t power up either after sitting for extra long periods. I think they are mostly Sonys.<\/p>\n I tried many times but no it wouldn’t power up; I decided I’d just keep it as a memory of a failed Sony radio. I’m aware that the capacitors do blow, and assumed that’s most likely the problem.<\/p>\n But I decided there may be another way to get it going again. I always check for [battery compartment] corrosion, but there was none.<\/p>\n I thought of a crazy idea of actually freezing the radio–just to see what may happen. So it was in the chest freezer for 3 hours. I then took it out frozen like an ice brick!!.<\/p>\n I took it outside to the blazing hot sun and let it fully defrost. I then plugged a DC power pack into it. The operating voltage is 6 volts. I pushed 9 volts into it, through the switchable power pack. I got a plastic clamp and clamped the on\/off switch permanently “on”. \u00a0I could hear it turning on and off several times as the switch is electrically-activated.<\/p>\n Then all of a sudden it sprang to life–unbelievable! On it came at full volume, so I selected an AM station and it\u00a0worked\u00a0as good as it ever did. The sensitivity was always very good, and it still is.<\/p>\n So was it a “Fluke”, “freak of nature” just by chance, or was it the freezing that woke it up?<\/p>\n Well I’m not turning it off. I have new AA batteries in it, as well as the power pack that’s turned back to the correct 6 volts–and yes it’s still going!!<\/p>\n So maybe we should all start freezing our radios when they have given up the “ghost”!?! Don’t forget to defrost before powering up!! Maybe I’ve started a “new trend”. Any comments would be great! Thanks.<\/p>\n Thanks Thomas and have a great and happy New Year from New Zealand.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Wow–James, I’m not sure why this freezing method worked, but I’m glad it did!<\/p>\n I\u00a0don’t think\u00a0I could recommend that everyone try this but, James, you did this out of desperation since you essentially had a nice ICF-SW55 paperweight. What did you have to lose? I’m very curious if some engineers or electronics technicians could comment as to why freezing the radio helped.<\/p>\n I do know this: I would be cautious attempting James’ freezing method\u00a0if you live in a humid environment. It’s possible that the condensation from the radio thawing could actually cause moisture damage. Obviously, in James’ case, it did not.<\/p>\n Thanks again, James–I hope your ICF-SW55 gives you many, many more years of service!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, James Patterson, who writes: I have owned the Sony ICF-SW55 for around 15 years or more. I like to change my listening pleasure from radio to radio, giving each one a rest, as they are all different to a degree.\u00a0So I put the SW55 away and it sat unused […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[8,3194,627,3,139,43],"tags":[4591,4327,3769,495,4326],"class_list":["post-16505","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","category-guest-posts","category-how-to","category-news","category-radio-modifications","category-shortwave-radio","tag-freezing-radios","tag-icf-sw55","tag-james-patterson","tag-sony","tag-sony-icf-sw55"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-4id","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":19369,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/06\/the-sony-icf-sw55-and-the-voice-of-greece-a-wonderful-travel-combo\/","url_meta":{"origin":16505,"position":0},"title":"The Sony ICF-SW55 and the Voice of Greece: a wonderful travel combo","author":"Thomas","date":"June 11, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm currently in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupr\u00e9, Qu\u00e9bec (Canada) and having a brilliant\u00a0time. I've been sans Internet for the better part of a week (save a little online time at\u00a0local caf\u00e9s) which is why I'm quite far behind on correspondence. The lack of Internet, though, has a positive side: it has given me\u00a0uninterrupted\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sony-ICF-SW55-2","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Sony-ICF-SW55-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Sony-ICF-SW55-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Sony-ICF-SW55-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Sony-ICF-SW55-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":23238,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/01\/oxford-shortwave-log-sony-icf-sw77-vs-icf-sw55-vs-tecsun-pl-310et\/","url_meta":{"origin":16505,"position":1},"title":"Oxford Shortwave Log: Sony ICF-SW77 vs ICF-SW55 vs Tecsun PL-310ET","author":"Clint Gouveia","date":"January 9, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Hi there, I recently posted an article regarding a couple of recent DX catches with the Sony ICF-SW77 receiver and went on to explain the background to a multi-receiver test I had started conducting, comparing it with its stablemate of the time the ICF-SW55 and, just for the hell of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/sw77b-300x169.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":15184,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/10\/mini-dxpedition-oxford-shortwave-log-and-the-sony-icf-sw55\/","url_meta":{"origin":16505,"position":2},"title":"Mini DXpedition: Oxford Shortwave Log and the Sony ICF-SW55","author":"Thomas","date":"October 21, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"SWLing Post reader, \"Oxford Shortwave Log\" recently noted the following on our Facebook page: \"Hi there, I received some very nice feedback regarding almost perfect reception of Radio Australia during a mini DX-pedition into the Oxfordshire countryside and thought I would share it.\" https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-b8bKEA2Wck \"I use a (now vintage I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sony-ICF-SW55","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Sony-ICF-SW55.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Sony-ICF-SW55.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Sony-ICF-SW55.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":17310,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/02\/auction-score-a-sony-icf-sw55\/","url_meta":{"origin":16505,"position":3},"title":"Auction Score: a Sony ICF-SW55","author":"Thomas","date":"February 12, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Regular SWLing Post readers know that I'm a sucker for classic solid-state portables and vintage tube radios. What many of you may not know, however, is that I'm not a fan of auction-style bidding for radios. Those who are familiar with it will recognize the\u00a0story: it begins on an optimistic\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Deals"","block_context":{"text":"Deals","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/deals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Goodwill-listing","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Goodwill-listing.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Goodwill-listing.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Goodwill-listing.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Goodwill-listing.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":23130,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/01\/sony-icf-sw77-recent-dx-comparing-performance-with-the-icf-sw55-tecsun-pl-310et\/","url_meta":{"origin":16505,"position":4},"title":"Sony ICF-SW77: recent DX & comparing performance with the ICF-SW55 & Tecsun PL-310ET","author":"Clint Gouveia","date":"January 4, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Some of you might remember the extensive tests I conducted last August, comparing this great portable receiver against the model it was introduced to replace - and arguably one of the best-ever portables - the Sony ICF-2001D\/ICF-2010.\u00a0I conducted\u00a0a back-to-back series of comparison tests at the very quiet wood in Oxfordshire\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/sony-icf-sw77.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/sony-icf-sw77.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/sony-icf-sw77.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/sony-icf-sw77.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/sony-icf-sw77.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":19615,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/06\/catch-the-2016-bbc-antarctic-midwinter-broadcast\/","url_meta":{"origin":16505,"position":5},"title":"Catch the 2016 BBC Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast?","author":"Thomas","date":"June 21, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Only a couple of hours ago, I packed up the\u00a0Sony ICF-SW55 and CC Skywave\u00a0portables in\u00a0search of a quite spot to listen to\u00a0the BBC World Service\u00a0Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast. I'm currently traveling in Canada and staying in a condo--the RFI in this building couldn't be much worse. There was no way I'd\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sony-ICF-SW55-Midwinter-Antarctica","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Sony-ICF-SW55-Midwinter-Antarctica.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16505","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16505"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16505\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16505"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16505"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16505"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}