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Radio Reception Issues

David_ShieldDavid_Shield Posts: 1,473
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in Radio and Podcasts #1
Apologies if this is the wrong place to post this.

Can anyone offer and reason/assistance with a problem I have had for the last month. The MW/AM reception is terrible in my house, not constantly but for certain periods. It seemed to be for longer periods during the Olympics.

I can be listening to 5Live in the car and its fine and as soon as I pull in the drive it goes unlistenable and very crackly. All analogue radios in the house do not work to listen to MW/AW when this is happening.

FM and DAB are both fine.

Anyone experienced this or know anything about it?

Comments

  • Gerry1Gerry1 Posts: 4,223
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    #2
    Disconnect the whole house by throwing the switch(es) next to the meter. Using a battery portable, check whether the interference continues. If it does then there's not very much you can do about it because it's probably mains borne or coming from a neighbouring property / properties.

    If it stops then restore the supply and unplug each appliance / system in turn until you find the culprit.

    Or just listen via FM / DAB / Freeview / Satellite / Internet !
  • SimonjharrissonSimonjharrisson Posts: 1,213
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    #3
    I think one of the worst culprits for causing this kind of problem are wireless routers and so on. If you have neighbours, even disconnecting yours will not solve the problem as routers will overlap from adjoining properties.
  • Black BoxBlack Box Posts: 765
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    #4
    Which transmitter are you listening to?
  • David (2)David (2) Posts: 20,632
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    #5
    AM reception in doors here has always been poor and variable - even worse at night.
    Not bothered with it for decades.
  • N.DeanN.Dean Posts: 1,691
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    #6
    David (2) wrote: »
    AM reception in doors here has always been poor and variable - even worse at night.
    Not bothered with it for decades.

    I don't think LW and MW signals are any weaker indoors than outdoors.
    However, if your radio is nearer to a source of interference, that will make reception worse. That should not vary with the day/night propagation change.
  • N.DeanN.Dean Posts: 1,691
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    #7
    David_Shield wrote: »
    Apologies if this is the wrong place to post this.

    Can anyone offer and reason/assistance with a problem I have had for the last month. The MW/AM reception is terrible in my house, not constantly but for certain periods. It seemed to be for longer periods during the Olympics.

    I can be listening to 5Live in the car and its fine and as soon as I pull in the drive it goes unlistenable and very crackly. All analogue radios in the house do not work to listen to MW/AW when this is happening.

    FM and DAB are both fine.

    Anyone experienced this or know anything about it?

    Do you mean crackly or buzzy ?
  • albertdalbertd Posts: 14,358
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    #8
    There are many things within the modern household which can be sources of radio interference, either from embeded microrocessors or from power supply units. Computers/gaming consoles, phone/tablet chargers, printers, TV equipment (the Olympics connection perhaps?), cordless phone bases, lighting systems, kitchen equipment with built-in electronic control devices. Any of these, and others I have not thought of, could be responsible.

    As suggested, wandering around with a portable radio which is getting the interference and looking for places with higher levels of the noise might isolate the source (or sources).
  • albertdalbertd Posts: 14,358
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    #9
    PS: Might, or might not, be worthwhile starting your search in the part of the house nearest to where you park.
  • lundavralundavra Posts: 31,790
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    #10
    Are you using powerline networking around the house?

    As suggested, turning off the mains supply to the house is a good starting point. If you still get interference it is probably not in your house (unless something battery maintained). You could switch on one circuit at a time (on its own) and if necessary have only one item plugged in at a time. Several things could be causing interference so switching things off might not identify the sources though you might hear the noise change.

    Have a wander around outside with a portable radio, try to work out which direction the noise is coming from - best to turn and find the minimum as you can get a more precise direction that way.

    Might be a neighbour or could be a fault on the electrical distribution network - does it change in wet weather?
  • Hybrid telliesHybrid tellies Posts: 1,580
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    #11
    Indoor AM reception has been getting worse thanks to the cheap and nasty electronic gadgets and gismo's we are surrounding ourselves with, As has been said before the list is endless and unless some decent legislation is bought in, and enforced, the problem is just going to get worse.
    It almost comical to hear some cases that the interference from all this cheap c*** is now upsetting FM and DAB reception with the biggest culprits being the new LED bulbs.
    You just cant make this up, this situation should not have been allowed to happen..
  • CroozerCroozer Posts: 61
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    #12
    If it is a buzz rather than a crackle it may be that the interference is being carried on the mains rather than just being creates by apparatus driven by the mains, so compare using a battery portable might be useful. As others have said, much modern apparatus,especially those using a switch mode power supply ('wall warts' are often culprits) lack the interference surpression which used to be standard, and tracking down the source can be challenging especially if the equipment isn't yours. External sources such as street lighting and traffic signals are also possible culprits, but by far the worst are wireless routers.
  • David_ShieldDavid_Shield Posts: 1,473
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    #13
    Thanks for the replies everyone although some of them are going over my head.

    I do have a wireless router but have had one for few years and this problem has only been the last few weeks plus as I say it comes and goes.

    I would describe it as more of a buzz than crackle.
    Gerry1 wrote: »
    Disconnect the whole house by throwing the switch(es) next to the meter. Using a battery portable, check whether the interference continues. If it does then there's not very much you can do about it because it's probably mains borne or coming from a neighbouring property / properties.

    If it stops then restore the supply and unplug each appliance / system in turn until you find the culprit.

    Or just listen via FM / DAB / Freeview / Satellite / Internet !

    Might try that sometime although I do mostly use DAB/Freeview these days, just occasions a couple of older radios and my shower radio that is the issue.
  • Black BoxBlack Box Posts: 765
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    #14
    Again, which transmitter are you listening to?
  • vinnielovinnielo Posts: 8,359
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    #15
    Is your boiler on the blink?
  • VectorsumVectorsum Posts: 876
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    #16
    David_Shield wrote: »
    ...I do have a wireless router but have had one for few years and this problem has only been the last few weeks plus as I say it comes and goes. I would describe it as more of a buzz than crackle...
    Has anyone near you had solar panels installed? The interference coming and going would be consistent with the panels switching on/off as the sunlight comes and goes. The buzzing noise is from the inverters that change the DC output from the panels to AC, and can be removed with filtering.
  • Phil DoddPhil Dodd Posts: 3,975
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    #17
    Good to see that our respected diagnosers are giving good advice - a walking encyclopedia this forum is !

    I do have better news on the LED front. I had CFL ( compact fluorescent ) bulbs in my kitchen, which interfered no end with medium wave and short wave. I replaced them, and indeed all bulbs in the house with LEDs from a retail shed that has a B and a Q in the name. ( Amazing the things that you do to minimise expense when becoming a pensioner ! ). The interference on medium wave and short wave disappeared completely. The only trouble now, because the LEDs are the equivalent of 100 watts in filament bulb terms, is that I can see all the dust...

    I'd respectfully say, therefore, to try one of the latest LEDs from e.g. the retail shed, as there doesn't seem to be any interference problems with the latest ones. Well not in Herefordshire...
  • ShimanoShimano Posts: 603
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    #18
    N.Dean wrote: »
    I don't think LW and MW signals are any weaker indoors than

    Well you think wrong - why do you think tunnels have AM relay transmitters?
  • derk weaselderk weasel Posts: 936
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    #19
    vinnielo wrote: »
    Is your boiler on the blink?

    thats a good point.
    i have had a new boiler installed and when it kicks in it makes a mess of mw/lw and also dab becomes a bubbling mess. then again it is on the kitchen windowsill (best place for my reception) but about 3ft away from the boiler
  • lundavralundavra Posts: 31,790
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    #20
    Is the interference constant every day at all times of day and night ?
  • David_ShieldDavid_Shield Posts: 1,473
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    #21
    Black Box wrote: »
    Again, which transmitter are you listening to?
    Sorry, looking on Google I think its Wrekenton.
    vinnielo wrote: »
    Is your boiler on the blink?
    No I’ve not had any problems with it.
    Vectorsum wrote: »
    Has anyone near you had solar panels installed? The interference coming and going would be consistent with the panels switching on/off as the sunlight comes and goes. The buzzing noise is from the inverters that change the DC output from the panels to AC, and can be removed with filtering.
    I don’t think so, I will have a look tomorrow.
    Phil Dodd wrote: »
    Good to see that our respected diagnosers are giving good advice - a walking encyclopedia this forum is !
    I do have better news on the LED front. I had CFL ( compact fluorescent ) bulbs in my kitchen, which interfered no end with medium wave and short wave. I replaced them, and indeed all bulbs in the house with LEDs from a retail shed that has a B and a Q in the name. ( Amazing the things that you do to minimise expense when becoming a pensioner ! ). The interference on medium wave and short wave disappeared completely. The only trouble now, because the LEDs are the equivalent of 100 watts in filament bulb terms, is that I can see all the dust...
    I'd respectfully say, therefore, to try one of the latest LEDs from e.g. the retail shed, as there doesn't seem to be any interference problems with the latest ones. Well not in Herefordshire...
    Interesting theory certainly, but the problem is in different rooms and at some times in both day and night isn’t a problem at all.
    lundavra wrote: »
    Is the interference constant every day at all times of day and night ?
    No it has been inconsistent really. At first it was poor most of the day from midmorning until midnight ish, then it seemed to be worse later. After the Olympics it has mostly been fine in the evenings but I haven’t tried as much during day as I’m out at work and was off some days during the Olympics to know it was bad.
  • Thine WonkThine Wonk Posts: 17,190
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    #22
    As others have said powerline adaptors for Internet, switchmode power supplies, CFL lighting, many things could be the cause. I think good advice has been given to pull the mains switch and if it disappears on a battery radio then you at least know it's in your property, if it doesn't go then you're screwed.
  • BollardBollard Posts: 3,421
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    #23
    Phil Dodd wrote: »
    I had CFL ( compact fluorescent ) bulbs in my kitchen, which interfered no end with medium wave and short wave.
    The other day I switched the CFL light outside my (covered) back door area on and the DAB radio in the kitchen cut out. As soon as I switched it off the radio came back on. it's not done it since but guess it's on it's way out...
  • Gerry1Gerry1 Posts: 4,223
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    #24
    Bollard wrote: »
    It's not done it since but guess it's on it's way out...
    Neither the bulb nor the radio is on the way out (unless you choose to get rid of them !)

    Interference to DAB by CFLs and LED lighting is a well known phenonemon which is caused by poor design.

    https://conversation.which.co.uk/technology/led-bulb-radio-interference-dab-test/
  • Thine WonkThine Wonk Posts: 17,190
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    #25
    Gerry1 wrote: »
    Neither the bulb nor the radio is on the way out (unless you choose to get rid of them !)

    Interference to DAB by CFLs and LED lighting is a well known phenonemon which is caused by poor design.

    https://conversation.which.co.uk/technology/led-bulb-radio-interference-dab-test/

    The good news is CFL's are on the way out, as LED lighting is even more efficient, gives a true range of colours, everything from a warm moonlight, to a cold white, to daylight bulbs. LED technology has improved so much and come down so much in price that CFLs will hardly be in the thing in years to come.

    Every bulb in my house is LED, the streetlamps outside (for the whole town nearly) are LED now due to the council signing a contract to replace them all.
  • David (2)David (2) Posts: 20,632
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    #26
    Ditto the LED lights. Much better than those energy savers, and LEDs use even less power than those. You can get various powers of LED, matching traditional 40w, 60w, and 100w bulbs (indicated on the packaging). Some are also dimable and you can have different colours as well. LEDs are instant on, no delay, no flicker, and can be almost any shape - the ones I bought look like traditional light bulbs.
    The only downside (for now) is that they cost more than either energy savers or traditional bulbs.
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