Car Radio AM fades in and out
 

Recently the AM reception on my 2014 Dodge Caravan has been fading out when passing under overhead electric wires. FM is not a problem. Any ideas why this might be happening and what the solution might be?

Car Radio AM fades in and out
 

On 8/6/2018 4:59 PM, Ed60062 wrote:
Recently the AM reception on my 2014 Dodge Caravan has been fading out when passing under overhead electric wires. FM is not a problem. Any ideas why this might be happening and what the solution might be?

Maybe check the antenna connection where the antenna whip attaches to the fender mount.

Car Radio AM fades in and out
 

On 8/6/2018 4:59 PM, Ed60062 wrote:
Recently the AM reception on my 2014 Dodge Caravan has been fading out when passing under overhead electric wires. FM is not a problem. Any ideas why this might be happening and what the solution might be?


Was good and now bad? Possible antenna problem. AM sucks near
electrical stuff often. Did you try a different station? Sometimes the
station changes things in their broadcast antenna, solar problems at
certain times of the year too.

I never listen to it more than 10 minutes a week if I can catch the
local station for local news when they do a 4 minute broadcast, then
back to Sirius XM and no commercials.

Car Radio AM fades in and out
 

On Mon, 6 Aug 2018 13:59:03 -0700 (PDT), Ed60062
wrote:

Recently the AM reception on my 2014 Dodge Caravan has been fading out when passing under overhead electric wires. FM is not a problem. Any ideas why this might be happening and what the solution might be?

Depending on your definition of "fading out", what you have described
is perfectly normal. The longer wavelengths of AM band signals have
trouble penetrating overpasses and under power lines. Most static is
AM in nature, so AM is highly susceptable to those symptoms. List to
the Steely Dan song "FM". "No static at all" is comparing FM to AM.
Back in the 60's, cars often only had AM radios, so having music other
than elavator music on FM was a huge improvement. You could drive
under power lines without your favorite song fading away.

Car Radio AM fades in and out
 

On 8/7/2018 11:08 AM, Pat wrote:

Back in the 60's, cars often only had AM radios, so having music other
than elavator music on FM was a huge improvement. You could drive
under power lines without your favorite song fading away.

I thought it was silly to actually pay money to listen to Sirius or XM
(they use to be competitors) radio when there are plenty of free FM
stations. Then I bought a car that came with three months of SiriusXM
trial. I was signed up after a couple of weeks of commercial free
listening and have had it for about 12 years now.

Sat radio will fade once in a while if the signal is blocked by tall
trees but nothing like AM does. You can also listen to your favorite
station no matter where you travel.

Car Radio AM fades in and out
 

On Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 10:08:11 AM UTC-5, Pat wrote:
On Mon, 6 Aug 2018 13:59:03 -0700 (PDT), Ed60062 wrote:

Recently the AM reception on my 2014 Dodge Caravan has been fading out when passing under overhead electric wires. FM is not a problem. Any ideas why this might be happening and what the solution might be?

Depending on your definition of "fading out", what you have described
is perfectly normal. The longer wavelengths of AM band signals have
trouble penetrating overpasses and under power lines. Most static is
AM in nature, so AM is highly susceptible to those symptoms. List to
the Steely Dan song "FM". "No static at all" is comparing FM to AM.
Back in the 60's, cars often only had AM radios, so having music other
than elevator music on FM was a huge improvement. You could drive
under power lines without your favorite song fading away.

I checked the antenna and it is secure. If this fading out is normal why didn't it happen for the past four years of owning this vehicle? It happens with all AM stations and some that I used to get now have practically zero reception. I'm not in a rural area (Chicago suburbs). Driving near high tension lines was always an issue with AM but this is in residential areas where lines are crossing the streets.

Car Radio AM fades in and out
 

I checked the antenna and it is secure. If this fading out is normal why didn't it happen for the past four years of owning this vehicle? It happens with all AM stations and some that I used to get now have practically zero reception. I'm not in a rural area (Chicago suburbs). Driving near high tension lines was always an issue with AM but this is in residential areas where lines are crossing the streets.


maybe it fades out when the fake news it on.... :-)


if it used to work, and something changed, then either you have a bad antenna connection or something went wrong with the radio.

the signals do get weaker under wires, but if it used to work OK and now it doesn't, then something went wrong. About all you can do is check the antenna connection. Next step is to remove the radio for repair.
mark

Car Radio AM fades in and out
 

If you can beg or borrow another antenna and cable try plugging those
into the antenna input jack on the radio. If that gets you better
signals on stations that are weak with the present antenna then there's
something wrong there and you could try just a new cable first, then a
new antenna. The antenna itself isn't going to be bad, but there may be
an open circuit or even a short to ground where the antenna cable comes
off it.

Good Luck,

Jeff
--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.


wrote:


I checked the antenna and it is secure. If this fading out is normal why didn't it happen for the past four years of owning this vehicle? It happens with all AM stations and some that I used to get now have practically zero reception. I'm not in a rural area (Chicago suburbs). Driving near high tension lines was always an issue with AM but this is in residential areas where lines are crossing the streets.


maybe it fades out when the fake news it on.... :-)


if it used to work, and something changed, then either you have a bad antenna connection or something went wrong with the radio.

the signals do get weaker under wires, but if it used to work OK and now it doesn't, then something went wrong. About all you can do is check the antenna connection. Next step is to remove the radio for repair.
mark

Car Radio AM fades in and out
 

On 8/6/2018 1:59 PM, Ed60062 wrote:
Recently the AM reception on my 2014 Dodge Caravan has been fading out when passing under overhead electric wires. FM is not a problem. Any ideas why this might be happening and what the solution might be?


Are you always listening to the same station when this has happened?
Maybe the station changed something about it's transmitter.

Car Radio AM fades in and out
 

On Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 3:13:27 PM UTC-5, Bob F wrote:
On 8/6/2018 1:59 PM, Ed60062 wrote:
Recently the AM reception on my 2014 Dodge Caravan has been fading out when passing under overhead electric wires. FM is not a problem. Any ideas why this might be happening and what the solution might be?


Are you always listening to the same station when this has happened?
Maybe the station changed something about it's transmitter.

All the AM stations and some I now don't get at all.

Car Radio AM fades in and out
 

On Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 3:20:40 PM UTC-5, Ed60062 wrote:
On Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 3:13:27 PM UTC-5, Bob F wrote:
On 8/6/2018 1:59 PM, Ed60062 wrote:
Recently the AM reception on my 2014 Dodge Caravan has been fading out when passing under overhead electric wires. FM is not a problem. Any ideas why this might be happening and what the solution might be?


Are you always listening to the same station when this has happened?
Maybe the station changed something about it's transmitter.

All the AM stations and some I now don't get at all.

Probably time to take it to the dealer. I just checked my extended warranty and the radio is covered.

Car Radio AM fades in and out
 

On 08/07/2018 10:08 AM, Pat wrote:
On Mon, 6 Aug 2018 13:59:03 -0700 (PDT), Ed60062
wrote:

Recently the AM reception on my 2014 Dodge Caravan has been fading out when passing under overhead electric wires. FM is not a problem. Any ideas why this might be happening and what the solution might be?

Depending on your definition of "fading out", what you have described
is perfectly normal. The longer wavelengths of AM band signals have
trouble penetrating overpasses and under power lines. Most static is
AM in nature, so AM is highly susceptable to those symptoms. List to
the Steely Dan song "FM". "No static at all" is comparing FM to AM.
Back in the 60's, cars often only had AM radios, so having music other
than elavator music on FM was a huge improvement. You could drive
under power lines without your favorite song fading away.

Yes, FM has that advantage.
Apparently the idea of FM is about as old as AM, but AM used to be more
popular because the relevant circuits (in both transmitter and receiver)
were simpler. Important when the more tubes something depended on, the
less often it worked.

--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"All religions are founded on the fear of the many and the cleverness of
the few." -- Marie Henri Beyle (Stendhal)

Car Radio AM fades in and out
 

On 08/07/2018 10:26 AM, Ed60062 wrote:
On Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 10:08:11 AM UTC-5, Pat wrote:
On Mon, 6 Aug 2018 13:59:03 -0700 (PDT), Ed60062 wrote:

Recently the AM reception on my 2014 Dodge Caravan has been fading out when passing under overhead electric wires. FM is not a problem. Any ideas why this might be happening and what the solution might be?

Depending on your definition of "fading out", what you have described
is perfectly normal. The longer wavelengths of AM band signals have
trouble penetrating overpasses and under power lines. Most static is
AM in nature, so AM is highly susceptible to those symptoms. List to
the Steely Dan song "FM". "No static at all" is comparing FM to AM.
Back in the 60's, cars often only had AM radios, so having music other
than elevator music on FM was a huge improvement. You could drive
under power lines without your favorite song fading away.

I checked the antenna and it is secure. If this fading out is normal why didn't it happen for the past four years of owning this vehicle? It happens with all AM stations and some that I used to get now have practically zero reception. I'm not in a rural area (Chicago suburbs). Driving near high tension lines was always an issue with AM but this is in residential areas where lines are crossing the streets.


Sunspots? I'm only semi-kidding. I haven't been keeping up with the ham
scene but I think we're headed to the trough in a weak cycle.

lowbrowman, Birdbrain's eternal senile whore!
 

On Tue, 7 Aug 2018 19:03:30 -0600, lowbrowman, the endlessly driveling
senile idiot, blabbered again:

practically zero reception. I'm not in a rural area (Chicago suburbs).
Driving near high tension lines was always an issue with AM but this is
in residential areas where lines are crossing the streets.


Sunspots? I'm only semi-kidding. I haven't been keeping up with the ham
scene but I think we're headed to the trough in a weak cycle.

Exactly, driveling Yankietard! Sun spots are always especially effective
under overhead wires. BG You just HAVE to open your senile gob, regardless
of what comes out of it, eh? tsk