Car Radio AM fades in and out

[Ed60062]

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?

[Ann Tennah]

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

[Ed Pawlowski]

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.

[Pat]

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.

[Ed Pawlowski]

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.

[Ed60062]

hen passing under overhead electric wires. FM is not a problem. Any ideas w hy this might be happening and what the solution might be?

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

[makolber]

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 te nsion lines was always an issue with AM but this is in residential areas wh ere 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 anten na 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 ant enna connection. Next step is to remove the radio for repair. mark

[Jeff Wisnia]

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

[Mark Lloyd]

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.

[rbowman]

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.