Strange FM interference

GordyB · 29th March 2017, 17:56

Hi

I've got a problem that happens everyday, very repeatable which I don't know a solution to.

My commute is approx an hour each way. I always just listen to Radio1, rarely have anything else on. Reception is perfect the whole way there. On the way home, every day I get poor reception , crackling, distortion and the tuner trying to re-tune to a stronger signal for the first 10 minutes of the journey and then it clears itself and is fine for the rest of the journey. I've checked it's not something I turn on or the car turns on like heated seats, rear screen etc..

I have a PPD connie with highline and I've added a sub and amp, everything else is standard. Any ideas?

klarzy · 29th March 2017, 18:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by GordyB

Hi

I've got a problem that happens everyday, very repeatable which I don't know a solution to.

My commute is approx an hour each way. I always just listen to Radio1, rarely have anything else on. Reception is perfect the whole way there. On the way home, every day I get poor reception , crackling, distortion and the tuner trying to re-tune to a stronger signal for the first 10 minutes of the journey and then it clears itself and is fine for the rest of the journey. I've checked it's not something I turn on or the car turns on like heated seats, rear screen etc..

I have a PPD connie with highline and I've added a sub and amp, everything else is standard. Any ideas?

Power lines???

HarryM1BYT · 29th March 2017, 18:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by GordyB

Hi

trying to re-tune to a stronger signal for the first 10 minutes of the journey and then it clears itself and is fine for the rest of the journey. I've checked it's not something I turn on or the car turns on like heated seats, rear screen etc..

I have a PPD connie with highline and I've added a sub and amp, everything else is standard. Any ideas?

Might it be that your rear screen heater cuts in for those 10 minutes of your drive?

The screen heater is shared as an antenna for the radio and is a known cause of poor reception when they become damaged.

GordyB · 29th March 2017, 21:25

I've turned the auto on for rear screen off using toaf. Even if it was coming on (and not lighting the button up) it doesn't do it on the morning journey.

Power lines would be possible but only if they were off on a morning and on at evening??

klarzy · 29th March 2017, 22:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by GordyB

I've turned the auto on for rear screen off using toaf. Even if it was coming on (and not lighting the button up) it doesn't do it on the morning journey.

Power lines would be possible but only if they were off on a morning and on at evening??

Not if the orientation of the aerial strands in your window meant you had a good reception in one direction and not in the other.... especially if the transmitter is at an angle to the direction of travel of the car....

I found this myself going to the supermarket and back,,, better one way than the other...

SD1too · 30th March 2017, 07:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by GordyB

I have a PPD connie with highline and I've added a sub and amp, everything else is standard.

OK Gordon, so please can you confirm that you have the sat.nav./TV LCD screen incorporating the radio head unit.

Can you also confirm that the aerial module to be found on the nearside beside the heater rear window is the original long, rectangular unit and hasn't been replaced by a smaller matchbox sized unit or otherwise fiddled with or modified?

Have you had your heated rear window replaced at any time?

Quote:

... I get poor reception , crackling, distortion and the tuner trying to re-tune to a stronger signal ...

This suggests the loss of aerial signal (RF) at the head unit. You should not be aware of the tuner switching to another Radio 1 frequency. Before it does that, the 'diversity' system will silently increase the number of aerial elements in use to provide a stronger signal to the tuner.

Please report back.

Simon

murphyv310 · 30th March 2017, 08:04

Hi.
Is one of journeys done with lights on? Also have you tried another BBC station, no doubt same transmitter but different frequency, to see if you get the same interference.

Are you able to stop when it's bad and switch off the engine and see if the noise goes? Also take a portable set and try it to eliminate external noise.

29th March 2017, 17:56	#1
GordyB Gets stuck in ZT, ZT-T Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Brigg Posts: 932 Thanks: 505 Thanked 313 Times in 160 Posts	Strange FM interference Hi I've got a problem that happens everyday, very repeatable which I don't know a solution to. My commute is approx an hour each way. I always just listen to Radio1, rarely have anything else on. Reception is perfect the whole way there. On the way home, every day I get poor reception , crackling, distortion and the tuner trying to re-tune to a stronger signal for the first 10 minutes of the journey and then it clears itself and is fine for the rest of the journey. I've checked it's not something I turn on or the car turns on like heated seats, rear screen etc.. I have a PPD connie with highline and I've added a sub and amp, everything else is standard. Any ideas? __________________ Gordon https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...73f7538906.jpg 2001 Connie SE Raven Black, CDT - scrapped 2004 ZT-T+ XPG, 1.8T - sold 2002 ZT+ Biomorphic Supertallic #2 of 10, CDT - sold 2004 ZT-T+ Goodwood Aquamarine, CDT - sold 2004 BMW 320d

29th March 2017, 21:25	#4
GordyB Gets stuck in ZT, ZT-T Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Brigg Posts: 932 Thanks: 505 Thanked 313 Times in 160 Posts	I've turned the auto on for rear screen off using toaf. Even if it was coming on (and not lighting the button up) it doesn't do it on the morning journey. Power lines would be possible but only if they were off on a morning and on at evening?? __________________ Gordon https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...73f7538906.jpg 2001 Connie SE Raven Black, CDT - scrapped 2004 ZT-T+ XPG, 1.8T - sold 2002 ZT+ Biomorphic Supertallic #2 of 10, CDT - sold 2004 ZT-T+ Goodwood Aquamarine, CDT - sold 2004 BMW 320d

30th March 2017, 08:04	#7
murphyv310 This is my second home Hyundai i10 998cc Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Kilmarnock Posts: 6,602 Thanks: 2,088 Thanked 2,298 Times in 1,349 Posts	Hi. Is one of journeys done with lights on? Also have you tried another BBC station, no doubt same transmitter but different frequency, to see if you get the same interference. Are you able to stop when it's bad and switch off the engine and see if the noise goes? Also take a portable set and try it to eliminate external noise. __________________ Cheers from Trevor MM0KJJ Last edited by murphyv310; 30th March 2017 at 08:08..