• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

For The Broadcast Engineers In The Audience...

Webcastboy. I don't own a cell phone of iPod. It wasn't the power lines either because I could hear the noise at least a half mile distant from the nearest power lines in both Indiana and NY. In fact the noise level remained constant and the audio level never really decreased. No WiFi in the rural areas either. BPL did come to mind but I don't believe it can be heard as far as a half mile off the wires.

The problem was in my new Honda Accord radio, not my home stereo. In fact, I heard the noise twice in the very same area in Indiana. Thanksgiving day from eastern Illinois to eastern Indiana and then again on Saturday evening in the very same area. I heard it for over 100 miles each day. If I had passed through CNY and WNY again on Friday or Saturday I am wondering if I would have heard the noise in the very same area again.

The clicks sounded a lot like popcorn popping or picket fencing on FM. They were regular in time and had a uniform sound. And the sound level remained constant except when I drove through the city of Oswego. Some RF from either the power lines or power plants wiped out the sound. As soon as I left the city limits I could hear the noise again.
 
Interesting...

FWIW, I had an OEM 2001 Honda Accord radio (the 6-disc CD changer model) until a few months ago; replaced it with my Blaupunkt CD52 Casablanca (not the greatest AM reception out there, but fabulous FM tuner).

Anyways, the OEM Accord radio had TERRIBLE reception on AM, and not much better on FM. A lot of random noise...although more like roars of static, not like what you're describing. I dunno if your Accord's radio is the same style but if so, I'd recommend an aftermarket radio regardless of whatever other problems you're having.
 
Best and Worst Car Radios

Mid 80's, I had two vehicles in which I installed Jensen receivers. One with analog tuning, the second with digital quartz lock tuning. Both had outstanding AM and FM sections with great selectivity and range. I didn't pimp my car radios, but both of those Jensens had great audio. Both receivers had one of the most important and overlooked features that I found critically important: a mono switch on the FM section, which allowed manual switching from stereo to mono. Great for DX'ing and from a production standpoint, essential for checking phase especially on station imaging and concert spots. Hey, it's a production-guy thing. Remember, we're talking about the days of Ampex 440-C reel-to-reels and ITC Delta triple deck cart machines. Yeah, ancient history, I know. It's just a matter of time before somebody posts, "What's a cart machine?"

I found out how good the MOE receiver in my present car is just a few days ago when I had a rental, a new Chevy Cobalt with the worst AM radio I've ever had the displeasure of listening to and an FM section that was dawgschitz bad. Can't tell you how good it was to get back into my car and turn on the radio.
 
Re: Best and Worst Car Radios

JimPastrick said:
Mid 80's, I had two vehicles in which I installed Jensen receivers. One with analog tuning, the second with digital quartz lock tuning. Both had outstanding AM and FM sections with great selectivity and range. I didn't pimp my car radios, but both of those Jensens had great audio. Both receivers had one of the most important and overlooked features that I found critically important: a mono switch on the FM section, which allowed manual switching from stereo to mono. Great for DX'ing and from a production standpoint, essential for checking phase especially on station imaging and concert spots. Hey, it's a production-guy thing. Remember, we're talking about the days of Ampex 440-C reel-to-reels and ITC Delta triple deck cart machines. Yeah, ancient history, I know. It's just a matter of time before somebody posts, "What's a cart machine?"

I found out how good the MOE receiver in my present car is just a few days ago when I had a rental, a new Chevy Cobalt with the worst AM radio I've ever had the displeasure of listening to and an FM section that was dawgschitz bad. Can't tell you how good it was to get back into my car and turn on the radio.
Click to expand...

And to think all Delphi and OEMs would HAVE to do is add ONE switch on the front panel for manual MONO/ Auto Stereo in factory radios (could probably do it as a second function on one already there)...but NOOOOOOOOOO!!

(Just ran across this thread....some of you guys are hilarious (as in funny/great) in your posts...I think you missed your callings as TV show writers...oh wait, they are on strike now, arent they? Time's a wasting!!!;)

Another AM-IBOC hater (and broadcast engineer) here as well..bring back analog AM Stereo (so I can use my Sony XRA-33 AM stereo receiver again)
 
Perhaps it is the radio. I'll shop around for a replacement. I don't want the very same radio installed back in this car.

Still, it is clear something is causing that noise and I do have to wonder what it is. I also heard it on my C Crane radio in Terre Haute, IN but it was very very faint and only noticeable on frequencies that were clean.

CW. I agree. Bring back CQUAM AM stereo. In the mid to late 1980's I had a Carver TX11a and used to listen to WDRC AM 1360 in Hartford when they were in stereo and that station sounded better than ANY FM station I've ever heard!
 
I have experienced the very same problem and have traced it down to the cruise control in my Lexus. Reception is fine if I turn the cruise complelely off and get the poppong and clicking if I enable it.
 
Eureka!

Damn. There goes my "American Tourister luggage and the three night stay at Sheila's Sweaty Palms Motor Inn, Tonawanda... gratuities and taxes not included".

Pending confirmation, of course.
 
You guys all seem to have a lot of familiarity with the "Sweaty Palms" in Tonalajara, "almost as if you had personal experience" with that particular venue.

"Just sayin...."

What kind of "gratuities?" I think we need Bubba Clinton up there to "investigate."
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom