Has anyone else had intermitent problems with KOMO having a large amount of electrical noise in the signal? I listen every morning and they always have a slight buzzing, but then there are some mornings where the buzzing is so loud that the station is unlistenable. That's when I pull out my G8 and turn it on on that radio, which doesn't seem to be as suceptable to that kind of noise. Any idea why this is so bad sometimes? The only thing I can think of is that we're getting a new roof on our house and it could be the equipment being used, but they were here yesterday when it wasn't that bad. This has happened before as well, but I can't think of why it's happening.
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KOMO electrical noise
- Thread starter bobdavcav
- Start date
Has anyone else had intermitent problems with KOMO having a large amount of electrical noise in the signal? I listen every morning and they always have a slight buzzing, but then there are some mornings where the buzzing is so loud that the station is unlistenable. That's when I pull out my G8 and turn it on on that radio, which doesn't seem to be as suceptable to that kind of noise. Any idea why this is so bad sometimes? The only thing I can think of is that we're getting a new roof on our house and it could be the equipment being used, but they were here yesterday when it wasn't that bad. This has happened before as well, but I can't think of why it's happening.
Perfect answer...tune your G8 to KOMO-FM and forget about the AM noise.
M
Mike Brewer
Guest
Has anyone else had intermitent problems with KOMO having a large amount of electrical noise in the signal? I listen every morning and they always have a slight buzzing, but then there are some mornings where the buzzing is so loud that the station is unlistenable. That's when I pull out my G8 and turn it on on that radio, which doesn't seem to be as suceptable to that kind of noise. Any idea why this is so bad sometimes? The only thing I can think of is that we're getting a new roof on our house and it could be the equipment being used, but they were here yesterday when it wasn't that bad. This has happened before as well, but I can't think of why it's happening.
Location, location, location. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the KOMO transmitter. Like the nut says - dial up 97.7 for the FM signal - no static at all!
That makes sense Mike, but I do have 2 questions that you may or may not be able to answer.
1. If there's absolutely nothing wrong with the KOMO transmitter which I suspect is an accurate statement, then why does this seem to only happen on 1 radio and only around 1000 KHz? I go up to 1050 and sounds normal, I go down to 950 also sounds normal.
2. Why is this so speratic? I would expect, if I lived right under or near some power lines that the am band would be mostly unlistenable, but it seems strange that KOMO is the only station that has this problem and it's not all the time. All the wiring is underground in my neighborhood, so there shouldn't be any problems there.
1. If there's absolutely nothing wrong with the KOMO transmitter which I suspect is an accurate statement, then why does this seem to only happen on 1 radio and only around 1000 KHz? I go up to 1050 and sounds normal, I go down to 950 also sounds normal.
2. Why is this so speratic? I would expect, if I lived right under or near some power lines that the am band would be mostly unlistenable, but it seems strange that KOMO is the only station that has this problem and it's not all the time. All the wiring is underground in my neighborhood, so there shouldn't be any problems there.
Traveling between Seattle and Sammamish on a regular basis, I prefer to listen to the AM, because there is less interference than on FM. The FM signal has not sounded clear and strong to me except when traveling in between Tacoma to Centralia/Chehalis. The AM signal sounds the same anywhere I am just north of Vancouver to at least north of Everett.
None of this stuff answers Bobcavdav's question, which was "why?", not "what do I do about it?"
My first thought is you might be catching them when they're directional. I have the same problem, here in Bremerton. At my place, a few radios sound like KOMO's dropped to 100 watts when they're on their night pattern.
At least until recently (I don't watch this stuff too closely), KOMO was a bit sporadic in how accurately they timed their pattern changes. That leads me to guess they don't have a remote control that does this automatically.
It's also possible that they have something technical going on at their site. It's been known to happen. I thought they've sounded better at night, but I just passed that off to noise at my place, of which there's plenty.
My first thought is you might be catching them when they're directional. I have the same problem, here in Bremerton. At my place, a few radios sound like KOMO's dropped to 100 watts when they're on their night pattern.
At least until recently (I don't watch this stuff too closely), KOMO was a bit sporadic in how accurately they timed their pattern changes. That leads me to guess they don't have a remote control that does this automatically.
It's also possible that they have something technical going on at their site. It's been known to happen. I thought they've sounded better at night, but I just passed that off to noise at my place, of which there's plenty.
Oddly, at night on my clock radio, the am sounds really distorted, kind of like 92.5's audio. I haven't turned it on at night much, I'm turning it on at 8 in the morning. Not only that, but like I've said in this thread before, it doesn't happen all the time. This morning, I managed to put up with the noise for about 40 minutes before I finally pulled out the G8. It'll be probably gone by tomorrow or Wednesday. I wouldn't be surprised if I get out to my friend's house in Black Diamond sometime within the next year, I'll have to try the G8 there. I know on some radios there, when stations go to their night pattern, it sounds very weak as opposed to the day pattern.
M
Mike Brewer
Guest
None of this stuff answers Bobcavdav's question, which was "why?", not "what do I do about it?"
My first thought is you might be catching them when they're directional. I have the same problem, here in Bremerton. At my place, a few radios sound like KOMO's dropped to 100 watts when they're on their night pattern.
At least until recently (I don't watch this stuff too closely), KOMO was a bit sporadic in how accurately they timed their pattern changes. That leads me to guess they don't have a remote control that does this automatically.
It's also possible that they have something technical going on at their site. It's been known to happen. I thought they've sounded better at night, but I just passed that off to noise at my place, of which there's plenty.
And none of THIS "answers" bobdavcav's question because it's 100% speculation - which I chose not do to in my reply. I simply eliminated one factor in the problem - the KOMO transmitter.
Now to eliminate YOUR speculation - according to my sources there's no problems with the remote control, no problems with pattern changes, nothing technical going wrong at their site.
Bob
How much trouble shooting have you done beyond pulling out the G8 to see if the noise affects that radio? The G8 is a good step on trouble shooting, but more needs to be done.
From your last post you have given more information on the radio affected, it's a clock radio versus a stereo tuner or one piece entertainment center.
What kind of radio is this (Bose, Sonny??). Does it plug into the wall, if so does it use a wall wart or is the power supply internal. Does it have batteries for power fail if so are they good and do they back up the clock or power the whole thing.
If it plugs into the wall have you tried a similar radio in that outlet listening to KOMO. I never have used the AC adapter for my G8 only batteries, so the G8 is useful but does not exactly duplicate the listening environment if it's not plugged into an outlet with an internal power supply.
If a like radio plugged into the same power source has the same intermittent buzz it may be some thing plugged into the house electrical, heater, fan, tv, ect.
But trying a like radio you know is good would tell you if it's location , location, location or a bad radio. Then you can move on to trouble shooting location, location, location if the problem is not solved by a different radio running under the same conditions.
How much trouble shooting have you done beyond pulling out the G8 to see if the noise affects that radio? The G8 is a good step on trouble shooting, but more needs to be done.
From your last post you have given more information on the radio affected, it's a clock radio versus a stereo tuner or one piece entertainment center.
What kind of radio is this (Bose, Sonny??). Does it plug into the wall, if so does it use a wall wart or is the power supply internal. Does it have batteries for power fail if so are they good and do they back up the clock or power the whole thing.
If it plugs into the wall have you tried a similar radio in that outlet listening to KOMO. I never have used the AC adapter for my G8 only batteries, so the G8 is useful but does not exactly duplicate the listening environment if it's not plugged into an outlet with an internal power supply.
If a like radio plugged into the same power source has the same intermittent buzz it may be some thing plugged into the house electrical, heater, fan, tv, ect.
But trying a like radio you know is good would tell you if it's location , location, location or a bad radio. Then you can move on to trouble shooting location, location, location if the problem is not solved by a different radio running under the same conditions.
I'm not trying to be rude or nosey, but could you perhaps list a general area of where you live, bob? I am in the Tacoma area and the KOMO signal seems to be fine right here.
Xmtrland, it's a small clock radio with an iPod hook-up. I think the batteries power the clock as well as the alarm. I know for a fact that if the power is out, it does not power the radio or charge the iPod. Yes it's got an internal power supply. I did move that radio when I rearrange my room a couple years ago, from one wall to another, and I think the first spot was overall better for radio reception, as I've had problems with Kiss from the new location as well. If the buzzing is gone tomorrow, I might just for the heck of it put the G8 practically on top of the clock radio like I did the other day. When I did that, I noticed a little more noise, but nothing like the noise I was hearing with the other radio. Ford, I'm just north of Aurora Village.
My first thought when I hear anyone talk of "buzzing" on AM is RFI.
I had horrendous buzzing appear on my AM radios a few months ago. Was really bad below 600 khz, but still audible above 600, maybe as far as 670-680.
It was the ballast (or whatever you call the circuitry) of an otherwise perfectly working 60 watt equivalent CFL lightbulb.
Took a while to ferret it out with one of my AM radios, using direction finding techniques.... it was still a bit difficult to nail down as the buzzing seemed to follow certain wiring in the house. Finally when I switched off my front porch light on a lark, 'pfft' -- buzzing was gone.
So don't rule out RFI.
I had horrendous buzzing appear on my AM radios a few months ago. Was really bad below 600 khz, but still audible above 600, maybe as far as 670-680.
It was the ballast (or whatever you call the circuitry) of an otherwise perfectly working 60 watt equivalent CFL lightbulb.
Took a while to ferret it out with one of my AM radios, using direction finding techniques.... it was still a bit difficult to nail down as the buzzing seemed to follow certain wiring in the house. Finally when I switched off my front porch light on a lark, 'pfft' -- buzzing was gone.
So don't rule out RFI.
Hmm I'll have to try some of the lights around that area. I do know that KIRO had some buzzing of a similar nature when they first went sports, but that's somehow been corrected. As I'm totally blind, I don't use the light in my room. However, the bathroom that I share with my sister is right next to my room, and sometimes she'll be in there with the light on while I'm listening to KOMO. Oddly, the buzzing either goes away completely or is at least very diminished when the light is on, but comes back as soon as the light is turned off. I've never tried it with my bedroom light, that'll be something I'll investigate in a bit.
And none of THIS "answers" bobdavcav's question because it's 100% speculation - which I chose not do to in my reply. I simply eliminated one factor in the problem - the KOMO transmitter.
Now to eliminate YOUR speculation - according to my sources there's no problems with the remote control, no problems with pattern changes, nothing technical going wrong at their site.
No need to get snippy, Mike. I merely commented as I see it, as it appears you do as well.
Admittedly, I don't have intimate knowledge of the KOMO site. Perhaps you would be so kind as to update us about your connections there, so I at least know who I'm talking with.
For myself, I do have a bit of background in the business, and I have had conversations with an engineer or two at the AM. From that information, I passed along that there have been issues with the site, though not necessarily recently, and nothing that I recall with great specificity (just not that big a deal to me... it happens).
As for the pattern changes: from where I live, it's pretty obvious when it switches.
No need to get snippy, Mike. I merely commented as I see it, as it appears you do as well.
Admittedly, I don't have intimate knowledge of the KOMO site. Perhaps you would be so kind as to update us about your connections there, so I at least know who I'm talking with.
For myself, I do have a bit of background in the business, and I have had conversations with an engineer or two at the AM. From that information, I passed along that there have been issues with the site, though not necessarily recently, and nothing that I recall with great specificity (just not that big a deal to me... it happens).
As for the pattern changes: from where I live, it's pretty obvious when it switches.
Mike is just a KnowItAll "expert". He must have a bad self image and need to act out in this way to boost up his ego (same with AQH).
Grounded Grid, I know what you mean. I'm not sure I understand why AM signals get so bad out towards Black Diamond when they go to their night pattern. If I understand KIRO's night pattern correctly, they should be stronger out in that direction. I'm not sure where KOMO is aimed, I think it's north. As for the noise, it's still there, but it's down to a tolerable level, and no less than it normally is. For those who are curious the light in my bedroom had no affect on the signal.
How are the KIRO, KFNQ, and KJR signals sounding for you, Bob?
That makes sense Mike, but I do have 2 questions that you may or may not be able to answer.
1. If there's absolutely nothing wrong with the KOMO transmitter which I suspect is an accurate statement, then why does this seem to only happen on 1 radio and only around 1000 KHz? I go up to 1050 and sounds normal, I go down to 950 also sounds normal.
The fact that this happens on only 1 radio supports Mike's comment that eliminates the transmitter or antenna system. Some radio receivers have quirks, and most AM sections are rather minimal. Try another radio.
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