Do car AM radios seem to lose their power over time?
May 17, 2010 - 1:07 pm
I usually drive my cars until they are 10+ years old, but the AM portion of the radios seem to get worse and worse over time. I notice when I get a rental car, AM works perfectly.
The most common reason for AM reception problems (and this is probably what is happening with age) is poor ground contact at the antenna. It is a big problem with fender mount antennas but also appears with roof mount antennas. The bad ground brings in all sorts of electrical noise because the coax becomes part of the antenna system. Scouring the body with Scotchbrite where the antenna mounts can work wonders, and applying silicone grease can keep it that way.
May 17th, 2010 at 6:49 pm
Its most likely your antenna just getting old and probably need to install a new one.
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May 17th, 2010 at 7:21 pm
The most common reason for AM reception problems (and this is probably what is happening with age) is poor ground contact at the antenna. It is a big problem with fender mount antennas but also appears with roof mount antennas. The bad ground brings in all sorts of electrical noise because the coax becomes part of the antenna system. Scouring the body with Scotchbrite where the antenna mounts can work wonders, and applying silicone grease can keep it that way.
References :
45 years in electronics
May 17th, 2010 at 7:41 pm
I have had old cars, meaning way back in the Nineteen Fifties, that when I put on a long, 6 foot antenna, the old AM radio picked up signals miles away, as compared to the original antenna.
My old 1951 Ford had its antenna, and I took one off a 1950 Chevy, which was longer, and installed it on my Ford, and that thing would play, even in tunnels along the road. Of course, this was before FM and besides, FM was to local, you drive a couple miles and FM would fade out. But that AM with the long antenna, it would reach way out.
So, the antenna makes a big difference, and cars now a day, have dinky things. Of course, the power of the radio might make some difference, but I don’t think it would be that much.
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May 17th, 2010 at 8:27 pm
cars still HAVE AM radios??
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May 17th, 2010 at 9:10 pm
yes. wear and tear mmybe? i just plug in my mp3 player though.
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