AM radio reception

[gjgalligan]

I normally listen to a local AM station along with WJR in Detroit which is very powerful Stonecove

Is that at 760 or 950, One is WJR and the other WWJ.
I listen to 950 a bit in the car and I have been getting more static on it.

I wonder if all the wireless phones are part of the problem.

Just north of the Palace of Auburn Hills is a short stretch where it is quite bad.

 

[rcnixon]

Other posibility is someone has cranked up a ham or citizens band radio in you neighborhood. It happened to me, but now he'e gone.

Amateur radio, unlike citizen's band, is a licensed service. In order to keep our licenses, we are obligated by law not to cause harmful interference outside our licensed band allocations.

The real culprits in most intereference claims are things like faulty powerline insulators, cheap "wall-wart" power supplies, cheap battery chargers and other badly engineered and poorly made elecrical devices. A noted source of harmful, broad-band interference are plasma televisions.

The FCC records are full of cases against power companies forced to repair their outside plant or face massive daily fines, consumers who have been required to mitigate the interference caused by their golf-cart chargers and, yes, CB'ers operating illegally.

Remember also that AM radio, made in China, has the absolute minimum number of parts in it to actually receive AM broadcast signals; no attempt is made to increase the selectivity of the radio or, heaven forbid, increase its sensitivity. Increasing the sensitivity of the radio would only make its interference reception "better". Crappy consumer goods like cheap phones, cheap stereos and cheap PC speaker systems are required to "not create harmful interference and must accept all interference". This is the so-called "Part 15" rule.

My station runs clean and the amount of out-of-band energy emitted is far below the legal requirements. I will inform you of techniques you can use to mitigate your problem but I will not buy anything (like filters or RF chokes) for you and I will especially not work on your telephone or stereo. It is up to you to prove that I am operating out-of-band. You can call the police or the sheriff if you like but they have no jurisdiction in the matter. You can call the FCC but they are far too busy auctioning off bandwidth to major corporations for commercial usage to listen to you (or me, for that matter).

Oddly enough, I have multiple commercial routers and ethernet switches in the house (it's what I do professionally) and plenty of CFL bulbs, yet my very sensitive communications receiver does not "hear" them. It can hear a car or truck with faulty ignition or a bad street lamp from several blocks away, however.

Russ

 

[powderburns]

This is the Grace radio I've had for a couple years. Just plug it in... good to go. Preset stations and all just like any other radio absent the static . Very nice quality sound unlike a typical nightstand radio. Though, you do need a wireless router.



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Radio? I don't see any radio...

 

[dave-arlington-va]

GE Super Radio 3. I have had a couple of these for years now. This radio has done a great job on the AM dial. I have a Bose Wave radio in the same room and this little GE radio outperforms solidly on the AM side and does a very good job FM as well. The sound quality is excellent. No clocks or alarms. Uses 6 D cell batteries that will last a very long time or plug it into a wall socket. $59 at Amazon.

 

[zoom6zoom]

You'd be surprised how many stations stream over the Internet now. I often listen to a Richmond AM station for my afternoon talk show, either on my PC or via an Android app on my tablet. Sounds better than over the air! (and I can listen even when I'm out of town)

For the OP:
http://www.wspd.com/main.html
http://www.wjr.com/
Both have "listen live" streaming and downloadable podcasts. And you don't have to buy any new hardware.

 

[Trooperdan]

Sunspots. No, really, sunspot activity is really ramping up.

 

[MK]

Sunspots. No, really, sunspot activity is really ramping up.

Sunspots have little if any effect on the low frequencies that
AM radio is on.
The problem is either local noise, or atmospheric noise.
Most likely local, if one is able to escape it by leaving the house.
Like one said, the easiest way to track it down is walking the area
with a portable radio and see where the noise seems to be the
strongest. Then start turning off any devices in that area to see if
it goes away.
There are about a half zillion devices that can cause noise, from
electric fences, to fish tank thermostats, to lights, to power line
noise, etc, etc.. But it ain't sunspots.

 

[Stainz]

The hand held portable AM radio and unplugging wall warts, consumer electronics, and table lamps should help isolate the source. As a long time radio listener, SWL, and DXer, I have had a myriad of tough interference sources. Years ago, it was the power lines out front - cracked compression insulators - but lately, it's my consumer electronics. The lite weight wall warts, actually switching power supplies rather than the older, heavier, and quieter transformer operated analog supplies, on your modem, router, and even the $40 digital TV tuner the Feds paid for when the switch to digital TV occured some years ago, have been isolated here as horrible noise sources. The huge 25" LCD screen on my PC monitor is appreciated by my 'mature eyes' - not so much my ears.

Distance and changing the alignment of the AM radio's builtin loop antenna helps. I have the Tivoli Model One above my reloading bench. A great radio, it's weakest link is the variable capacitor used to tune it - mine got scratchy in warranty - they said that was common and there was no fix - just tune it back & forth! I bought a Boston Acoustics 'Receptor' - better sound, too. It's ~ 3 ft from the PC and CFL-equipped drafting lamp. I have CFL's everywhere - no problem.

To help weak AM reception, consider a magnetically coupled tuned loop, like Kaito and Grundid market. My Grundig AN-200 was $27 via AMAZON with free s/h. Good luck!

Stainz

 

[Stonecove]

Wow guys, thanks for the input. I am at deer camp now so - can't try your suggestions, but will when I return. Thanks much! Stonecove

 

[Stu1205]

Gremlins

Gremlins......definitely gremlins.

 

[Stonecove]

Radio interference problem solved

I found the problem. I took your advise and used a portable radio as a direction finder. Very interesting findings! The biggest culpret to static was my dogs electronic collar charger. Even if the charger is not charging the collar, justy having it plugged in the socket, it gave off a terrible racket on the radio. I unplugged the charger and 75% of the problem went away. So I then thought other chargers might be issues, I unplugged our cell phone chargers. They too caused static even when not charging the phone. Like the dog collar, the static increased when charging and was eliminated when unplugged from the wall! Now I can listed to my favorites on WSPD & WJR on my Bose Radio, which has always been the worst AM radio in the house. I'm also interested in getting a Grace Radio so I can listen by way of the internet without being tied to my computer. They make a nice portable radio (is it a radio or an internet playing devise---IPD???) that gets its signal from a wireless router.
Anyway thanks to you all for your help in solving my issue and for the education I got in the process! I would expect no less from this forum! You guys are most helpful!
THANKS! Stonecove

 

[mstuhr]

Hi Stoinecove

Hi Stonecove,
I didn't think about chargers when you first posted this. When I put the 12v charger on the boat it lights up the radios. The garage is on the far end of the house but it makes no difference.
I just make do with out radio until I get a charge.
I am glad you found the problem
Mike