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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Car Audio / April 2006Strange AM radio problem
I have an Alpine deck I bought a few years ago. For some reason the AM radio on stations are barely audible because they are overwhelmed by static. Yet the FM stations sound clear as bell. This problem started happening slowly over time where would get the static occasionally, and then the AM would be clear the next day. But now, it's at the point where it's almost unlistenable. I don't think it would be the car antenna since the FM seems to work fine. I hate the have buy a new stereo head unit. What types of things might cause a problem like this? > I have an Alpine deck I bought a few years ago. For some reason the AM > radio on stations are barely audible because they are overwhelmed by [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > stereo head unit. What types of things might cause a problem like > this? It could still be the antenna - corrosion between the telescoping sections, or a bad ground at the base. Both would be conditions that grow worse over time. FM isn't as sensitive to such antenna issues. --- avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean. Virus Database (VPS): 0617-2, 04/26/2006 Tested on: 4/28/2006 12:32:00 AM avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2005 ALWIL Software. http://www.avast.com >> I have an Alpine deck I bought a few years ago. For some reason the AM >> radio on stations are barely audible because they are overwhelmed by [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > sections, or a bad ground at the base. Both would be conditions that grow > worse over time. FM isn't as sensitive to such antenna issues. Don't fool with it -- just replace the entire antenna assembly. They're not that expensive. AM uses a much lower frequency range (kilocycles instead of megacycles) and the length of the antenna is much more important. It could be that the FM is happy with just the base of the antenna working while the AM band wants the entire length of the antenna to be there. Again, don't try to figure out what's wrong, just replace the entire thing. Now's the time to upgrade to an automatic antenna! PD >>> I have an Alpine deck I bought a few years ago. For some reason the AM >>> radio on stations are barely audible because they are overwhelmed by [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > >PD I've never had to do this before. Does this mean just the actual antenna on the roof itself or the wiring that runs from the antenna to the stereo as well? >>>>I have an Alpine deck I bought a few years ago. For some reason the AM >>>>radio on stations are barely audible because they are overwhelmed by [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > antenna on the roof itself or the wiring that runs from the antenna to > the stereo as well? It will depend on the type of car and the design of the antenna - you didn't mention what kind of car this is, but if it's like most Hondas that have the A-pillar antenna, it's simple enough: unplug from the deck, unscrew the base, and pull the whole thing out with the cable, then feed the cable of the new one back in the same way. You might want to attach a string to the old one as you pull it out, and use it to help locate the new cable when you put it in, as the opening for it under the dash can be somewhat hidden on some cars. --- avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean. Virus Database (VPS): 0617-3, 04/28/2006 Tested on: 4/28/2006 9:45:30 AM avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2005 ALWIL Software. http://www.avast.com It's a VW Jetta. >>>>>I have an Alpine deck I bought a few years ago. For some reason the AM >>>>>radio on stations are barely audible because they are overwhelmed by [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] >avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2005 ALWIL Software. >http://www.avast.com These other guys know more about AM/FM than I do, and hopefully they're right and it's just a problem with your antenna. But I will tell you that when I first bought my Alpine 7863 back in 2000, it DID EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE DESCRIBING. It started about a week after I bought it. Fortunately, it was under warranty and it was an easy matter to exchange it from the retailer (Car Toys in Seattle). I thought I would tell you this. However, my unit was OBVIOUSLY faulty. Yours hopefully is not. MOSFET >I have an Alpine deck I bought a few years ago. For some reason the AM > radio on stations are barely audible because they are overwhelmed by [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > stereo head unit. What types of things might cause a problem like > this? |
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