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AM Electrical Noise

C

chrisalcorn

Guest
I have a problem with intermittent static on AM in my car radio. Then antenna is mounted on the rear fender and is properly grounded. I can step on the brake which will illuminate the taillamps and the noise goes away temporarily then it is back. I will gladly accept any suggestions. By the way, it is a Sony Xplod that I am trying to figure out.
 
How are your brakes? Some brake linings have a small "needle" that is supposed to make a scratching noise (audible) when the pads are low. If it's just starting to lightly touch metal-to-metal, that might be it.

Otherwise, you might want to just start a round of cleaning the contacts on everything (switches, lamps, fuse holders).
 
chrisalcorn said:
I have a problem with intermittent static on AM in my car radio. Then antenna is mounted on the rear fender and is properly grounded. I can step on the brake which will illuminate the taillamps and the noise goes away temporarily then it is back. I will gladly accept any suggestions. By the way, it is a Sony Xplod that I am trying to figure out.
Click to expand...
I assume by properly grounded, it has been removed & the antenna mount and fender have both been cleaned & sanded down. It's not easy to keep an excellent ground where the antenna meets the fender, but it's the most common entry point for AM static.
 
Radio Shack used to sell a kit for cleaning up AM. It was a simple choke that went in series with your power lead to the radio, and a capacitor that went on the distributor to ground. CCrane sell 'em?
 
I cleared almost all the AM noise out by disconnecting the ground wire to the radio. It's still grounded through the antenna lead, which comes from an amplifier. The antenna itself is the (large) rear hatch window heater grid.
 
I've posted about this before here. In my old car with a distant station, I would get interference just by stepping on the brake.

My newer car has the same problem, though. In fact, AM reception is even worse.

At least I get better FM reception. I can pick up a country legends station, so it's no longer necessary to put up with the signal of the pop standards station.
 
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