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FM radio interference or a dying radio?

Gus
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 3,236
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Registered: ‎31-07-2007

FM radio interference or a dying radio?

For the last 2ish weeks I have been getting what I can best describe as pulsing interference, at night when its on.  No matter if its FM or MW with a station tuned in or not, I hear a pulsing noise coming from the speakers.  Any chance its interference? as there are a few ham radio users in the local area going by the aerial on their chimney's.
Or what I believe and my radio due to be replaced before it finally dies
FTTP 500 regrade from Tues 28th November
8 REPLIES 8
NorthEasterner
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Registered: ‎25-09-2012

Re: FM radio interference or a dying radio?

Get a DAB, mine is a roberts DAB and it works like a charm! Its an RD60 and cost normally around 100 quid (maybe expensive for some) but is really good quality for an old looking radio which is cool!  If the radio is old consider either a DAB or a another standard Radio.
Hope I helped!
Jamie
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HairyMcbiker
All Star
Posts: 6,792
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Registered: ‎16-02-2009

Re: FM radio interference or a dying radio?

Is it mains or battery powered? If mains it could be the capacitors are failing if it is over 10 years old. Either way a replacement is probably in order.
@JamieDanjoux DAB is OK IF they station you want is broadcast on it, in my area we can't get Radio Scotland on dab (In the rest of Scotland it is on but not here, also it is the MW feed (!?) so @18:00 it is switched to the footy instead of the "normal" FM broadcast.) That and the local RS doesn't broadcast on DAB either.
I have a DAB tuner in the car, but it is almost useless round here, it drops out at the slightest opportunity (lots of hills here) and where FM retunes it doesn't.
shutter
Community Veteran
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Registered: ‎06-11-2007

Re: FM radio interference or a dying radio?

Ham Radio operators are very unlikely to be causing your type of interference... ( assuming it is "regular pulse" interference)... the have strict rules and regulations about how they set up their aerials and tranmitters to reduce the likely hood of causing interference to ANY other radio spectrum user... If you think you might have a problem with them, just go and knock on the door and ask them to come and listen to it... they may well know what type of electrical interference it is...  Most will be happy to advise you.  Wink
HairyMcbiker
All Star
Posts: 6,792
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Registered: ‎16-02-2009

Re: FM radio interference or a dying radio?

One other thing occurs to me, do you have any of those homeplug ethernet adaptors? Although why it would only be at night is another q.
gleneagles
Aspiring Legend
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Registered: ‎02-08-2007

Re: FM radio interference or a dying radio?

This might be worth looking at if you think it might be due to some external source,
http://www.ce-mag.com/archive/02/11/may.html
We are born into history and history is born into us.
Anotherone
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Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: FM radio interference or a dying radio?

Gus, shutter's idea of getting one of the Ham radio people to have a listen is a good idea (not because it could be interference from them), or any other "technical expert" as they be more able to identify the likely cause.
Otherwise, I don't suppose you can put an audio recording of this up anywhere we can access it can you?
PS. If you are a HiFi enthusiast, DAB is garbage.
Gus
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 3,236
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Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: FM radio interference or a dying radio?

Digital TV/Radio is useless here, I ended up getting a much cheapness radio after finding my old fishing portable radio and it got no interference.
FTTP 500 regrade from Tues 28th November
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
Thanks: 457
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Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: FM radio interference or a dying radio?

I'd be surprised if you can't get the 3 PSB muxes on the Freeview platform  Shocked