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FM Gang Tuner Description

Any radio with variable capacitors in the tuner section likely has ganged tuner components. Ganged capacitors or other components are two variable capacitors mechanically attached to ease tuning-in. Most frequently, variable capacitors are ganged to accommodate low and high radio frequencies on one dial or tuning knob.

Radios
- Radios have several sections that work together. All radios have tuners. The tuner selects radio stations by filtering and tuning among all radio frequencies to your selected frequency. This frequency is amplified ahead of being converted into audio frequency energy. The audio amplifier stage drives speakers or headphones.
Tuners
- Tuners consist of resistors, capacitors, coils and capacitors. Tuners function as a circuit because the relationship between components resonate in tune with your selected frequency. Tuners can be fixed or variable. Examples of fixed tuners include CB radios, televisions and some types of walkie-talkie two-way radios. Examples of variable tuners include AM, FM or shortwave radios.
Gang Capacitors
- The heart of most tuners is the variable capacitor. The variable capacitor sets the frequency of the tuner circuit by changing the resonance of the circuit according to the operator's desired frequency. A gang capacitor is designed to work with two sections of a radio tuner: the radio frequency amplifier and the local oscillator -- typical of superheterodyne receivers. Of the various types of radios, including tuned radio frequency and superheterodyne, the gang capacitor does the work of setting the frequency of the radio according to the physical position of the gang capacitor. The physical position sets its capacitance, an electrical unit measured in microfarads, and determines the resonant frequency of the tuner.

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