Radio static

D

d7e7r7

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I got a sound system for my birthday: http://www.lg.com/za/tv-audio-video/car-audio/LG-LCS500URPA.jsp

67651


Everything (cd/usb/etc) works 100% except for the radio function which works fine when my car is not running but when my car is running or when I'm driving some radio stations (CapeTalk, which is MW) is crackly and I can hear static in the background.

Does anyone know what I can do about this?

Thanks
 
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I have no idea what iam talking about , but could it not be down to the arieal connection? you say when you drive , mebby the vibrations giggle it around and only the stronger stations are picked up.
 
Most often than not it's a grounding problem; any decent radio, properly grounded should not hiss, crackle or pop, no matter what you ate for breakfast ;-)

Try grounding it to your chassis.
 
bin3 said:
Most often than not it's a grounding problem; any decent radio, properly grounded should not hiss, crackle or pop, no matter what you ate for breakfast ;-)

Try grounding it to your chassis.
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Also, check antenna wire/connectors that it's not rusted (or the antenna itself). But if it only happens when car is on, has to be grounding problem on actual head unit.
 
There wouldn't be any rust becuase it was installed like 2 weeks ago...

How would I go about grounding the aerial and/or the head unit? Would I be able to do it myself or should I send it in to an auto electrician?
Will this be expensive? :(
 
My car does the same on AM. Picks up some interference from my car's electric system, but it's not bad enough for it to bother me. All the FM channels are crystal clear. You should try listening to CapeTalk on Canal Walk's mezzanine level parking (tip: keep the volume low ;)).
 
dj_jyno said:
My car does the same on AM. Picks up some interference from my car's electric system, but it's not bad enough for it to bother me. All the FM channels are crystal clear. You should try listening to CapeTalk on Canal Walk's mezzanine level parking (tip: keep the volume low ;)).
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Yes - it seems to be only the AM stations, FM one's are fine... Pity though, cause I enjoy CapeTalk... Must be something I can do???
 
Is the static you hear related to engine revs? IOW, do you get static which goes up and down in pitch as you rev the engine? Is there a volume correlation between the static and the engine revs? If so, consider taking a look at your HT (high tension) system - that means your spark plug leads and the coil they go back to: are the leads in good nick, is the coil (still) well mounted and rust-free?

Also, the FM antenna is the external one; IIRC an AM antenna in a car radio is a coil wound on a former *INSIDE* said radio so there's diddly you can do about that ..but that applies only if I'm recalling that rather vague memory correctly!
 
bdt said:
Is the static you hear related to engine revs? IOW, do you get static which goes up and down in pitch as you rev the engine? Is there a volume correlation between the static and the engine revs? If so, consider taking a look at your HT (high tension) system - that means your spark plug leads and the coil they go back to: are the leads in good nick, is the coil (still) well mounted and rust-free?

Also, the FM antenna is the external one; IIRC an AM antenna in a car radio is a coil wound on a former *INSIDE* said radio so there's diddly you can do about that ..but that applies only if I'm recalling that rather vague memory correctly!
Click to expand...

Correct, AM antenna is inside.

d7e7r7 said:
Thats like reading French for me but it looks like something important and relevant ...
Anything someone like me who knows nothing can do?
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By antenna I meant the wire all the way to the antenna, had it happen before. The radio comes with a grounding point (usually ground symbol + bolt and nut) that needs to be connected to your chassis.
 
UnUnOctium said:
Correct, AM antenna is inside.
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HA! ..the old noggin *is* still throwing up good data after all this time! :p
By antenna I meant the wire all the way to the antenna, had it happen before. The radio comes with a grounding point (usually ground symbol + bolt and nut) that needs to be connected to your chassis.
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Personally, 'cos it's a way damn cheap exercise, I'd choke both the FM antenna-in and power-in wiring to the set ...hey, it can't hurt! :D
 
My interest now thoroughly piqued, I chased down dim, dark, distant memories about HT leads. And it turns out that Bougicords are 1. still around and B. pretty highly regarded! Still, they're not the only game in town; the other name I've unearthed is Magnecor and it pretty much seems to come down to a two-horse race between 'em. So, if the OP has craptacular HT leads in there, *AFTER* trying out something nice 'n cheap like chokes, maybe consider getting decent (and well suppressed) HT leads. And go with a name that comes right up in a quick search; it seems that, as is EVERY-bloody-where, there are charlatans a-plenty in the HT lead game, who will be only too happy to hawk some crap product to you.
 
ok, HT leads for my car costs around R2500 excl. VAT and I've got a 17 year-old Merc. I have myself this incessant rpm-correlated-whine during CD/USB playback. It has to do with my grounding and the idiot that installed the radio lay the power cable running to my amplifier in the boot RIGHT NEXT TO the speaker cable.....ONE BIG NO-NO....
 
d7e7r7 said:
I got a sound system for my birthday: http://www.lg.com/za/tv-audio-video/car-audio/LG-LCS500URPA.jsp

67651


Everything (cd/usb/etc) works 100% except for the radio function which works fine when my car is not running but when my car is running or when I'm driving some radio stations (CapeTalk, which is MW) is crackly and I can hear static in the background.

Does anyone know what I can do about this?

Thanks
Click to expand...

You can buy a small box that plugs in between the radio and the AMP via RCA which will stump the noise dead. Actually I have one at my house somewhere. Just too bad you in CPT I would have given it to you for free. I think they go for about R 50

edit:
Found it online:
http://www.thefind.com/electronics/browse-rca-ground-loop-filter

Just ask any sound store they will have one for you ;)
 
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Pitbull said:
You can buy a small box that plugs in between the radio and the AMP via RCA which will stump the noise dead. Actually I have one at my house somewhere. Just too bad you in CPT I would have given it to you for free. I think they go for about R 50

edit:
Found it online:
http://www.thefind.com/electronics/browse-rca-ground-loop-filter

Just ask any sound store they will have one for you ;)
Click to expand...

I don't have an amplifier though.... yet
Thanks for the offer :)
 
bdt said:
HA! ..the old noggin *is* still throwing up good data after all this time! :p Personally, 'cos it's a way damn cheap exercise, I'd choke both the FM antenna-in and power-in wiring to the set ...hey, it can't hurt! :D
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Only needs to choke the power, choking the antenna will cause issues, not to mention loss in impedance matching.
 
Its an alternator related noise. The gadget to sort it out is a something suppresser, can't remember the name of it exactly.

I thought u don't need it anymore on modern radio's or modern cars.
 
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MR.C said:
Its an alternator related noise. The gadget to sort it out is a something suppresser, can't remember the name of it exactly.

I thought u don't need it anymore on modern radio's or modern cars.
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1996 Citi Golf = not so modern :D:D
 
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