I'm sorry this thread has come to an end. As I said before I'm having trouble with my volume antenna too. Anyone have any suggestion as to where I start trouble shooting? I don't get a ghost tone. My volume antenna just doesn't seem to do anything. The pitch works great but the best I can get my volume antenna to do is raise the note a tone if I actually touch it. Sort of sounds like a European police siren... When I tune L3 I don't hear the heterodyning tone that I'm supposed to. Maybe I fried the coil? Any suggestions?
Problem with Theremax.
Posted: 7/9/2009 2:32:12 AM
Is the max 23 posts? Anyway, Ardor, have you contacted PAiA? I know with me, they've been very helpful (i even sent them an email, figured out my problem, then sent them a "nevermind" email, and they still replied with general tips and suggestions! ha! :) I'm going to ask them what they think about my deal. I figure they must have heard every single problem/issue that arises with the Theremax!
Good luck!
Ethan.
Good luck!
Ethan.
Posted: 7/9/2009 3:14:26 PM
From: Eastleigh, Hampshire, U.K. ................................... Fred Mundell. ................................... Electronics Engineer. (Primarily Analogue) .. CV Synths 1974-1980 .. Theremin developer 2007 to present .. soon to be Developing / Trading as WaveCrafter.com . ...................................
Joined: 12/7/2007
[b]This thread[/b][i] will[/i][b] be continued[/b] Here (http://www.thereminworld.com/forum.asp?F=3&T=4075&cmd=p)
But it seems that the "end of thread" announcement came too soon - there is still space for someone else to post here..
But it seems that the "end of thread" announcement came too soon - there is still space for someone else to post here..
Posted: 7/9/2009 3:38:52 PM
From: Eastleigh, Hampshire, U.K. ................................... Fred Mundell. ................................... Electronics Engineer. (Primarily Analogue) .. CV Synths 1974-1980 .. Theremin developer 2007 to present .. soon to be Developing / Trading as WaveCrafter.com . ...................................
Joined: 12/7/2007
[i]"Maybe I fried the coil? Any suggestions?"[/i]
Not easy to "fry" a coil - but quite easy to damage it.. The Equalisation coil (connected between antenna and circuit board) is almost certainly not "fried" unless you were playing the Theremin outside in an electrical storm!
The oscillator coil can "fry" if the oscillator is faulty and there is a DC path through the coil, and current limiting resistors are inadequate.. But this is all quite unlikely.
My expierience with coil problems leads me to suggest a few things:
Cheap adjustable coils (IF cans such as those provided by JayCar) can break if heavy-handed twiddling is applied.. The ferrite lug over the coil turns on a plastic screw assembly - nothing limits its rotation, so it can actually disassemble itself if the can is not soldered to the PCB (it can lift the can off the coil assembly) and can twist and damage the coil if the can is soldered to the PCB. .. It can also get 'locked' in a position where everything looks ok, but, in fact, turning the slug is not moving the ferrite at all.
It may be that other coils exhibit similar problems.. I have some really old Toko cans which never caused problems.
[b]"Yeah, the maximum number of posts in a thread is 23 + VAT = 26 posts." - Thierry
ROFLMAO! ;-))[/b]
Not easy to "fry" a coil - but quite easy to damage it.. The Equalisation coil (connected between antenna and circuit board) is almost certainly not "fried" unless you were playing the Theremin outside in an electrical storm!
The oscillator coil can "fry" if the oscillator is faulty and there is a DC path through the coil, and current limiting resistors are inadequate.. But this is all quite unlikely.
My expierience with coil problems leads me to suggest a few things:
Cheap adjustable coils (IF cans such as those provided by JayCar) can break if heavy-handed twiddling is applied.. The ferrite lug over the coil turns on a plastic screw assembly - nothing limits its rotation, so it can actually disassemble itself if the can is not soldered to the PCB (it can lift the can off the coil assembly) and can twist and damage the coil if the can is soldered to the PCB. .. It can also get 'locked' in a position where everything looks ok, but, in fact, turning the slug is not moving the ferrite at all.
It may be that other coils exhibit similar problems.. I have some really old Toko cans which never caused problems.
[b]"Yeah, the maximum number of posts in a thread is 23 + VAT = 26 posts." - Thierry
ROFLMAO! ;-))[/b]
Posted: 7/9/2009 3:54:39 PM
From: Eastleigh, Hampshire, U.K. ................................... Fred Mundell. ................................... Electronics Engineer. (Primarily Analogue) .. CV Synths 1974-1980 .. Theremin developer 2007 to present .. soon to be Developing / Trading as WaveCrafter.com . ...................................
Joined: 12/7/2007
[i]"Yeah, the maximum number of posts in a thread is 23 + VAT = 26 posts." - Thierry [/i]
Never had a situation before where VAT gives me something extra .. So perhaps your maths is wrong, Thierry..
Perhaps there are 31 posts in a thread, and VAT reduces this to 26.. :)
Anyway - this is the 26th post in this thread, so we will soon see..
[b]This thread[/b][i] will[/i][b] be continued[/b] Here (http://www.thereminworld.com/forum.asp?F=3&T=4075&cmd=p)
Never had a situation before where VAT gives me something extra .. So perhaps your maths is wrong, Thierry..
Perhaps there are 31 posts in a thread, and VAT reduces this to 26.. :)
Anyway - this is the 26th post in this thread, so we will soon see..
[b]This thread[/b][i] will[/i][b] be continued[/b] Here (http://www.thereminworld.com/forum.asp?F=3&T=4075&cmd=p)
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