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CCRadio2 Page 25
AM RADIO NOISE PROBLEMS
AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
Radio Noise Troubleshooting
If you hear an annoying buzz when listening to AM radio, itʼs most likely
radio noise. Here are some of the usual culprits:
• Dimmer switch (even in an adjacent room).
• Lights: Fluorescent light, "touch lamp" type fixtures, automatic
night lights, motion-activated outdoor lights, dying bulbs,
blinking bulbs.
• Nearby television or computer.
• Electronic bug and pest controllers.
• Faulty electrical switch.
• Radio scanners.
• Dirty insulators on a nearby power pole.
• Electric blanket.
• Smoke detectors that run from an AC current (battery operated
units are OK).
Now what can you do about it?
• Turn off the circuit breakers to see if the noise stops, and if the
source comes from inside your house. Turn off one circuit at a
time to isolate the source of the noise.
• Using a battery-operated radio, check if the interference comes
from the AC 120V line, through the air, or both. To locate the
direction of the noise, turn the radio until you hear the loudest
noise. The front and the back of the radio will point to the noise
origin.
• If the noise comes from outside, carry the radio around the
neighborhood to check for the origin of the noise. Ask your
neighbors if they hear the same noise.
• If you suspect a power pole, call the utility company. Dirty
power pole insulators are sometimes a cause of hard-to-find
radio interference.
• Sometimes grounding can greatly reduce the hum from AC line
noise. Unfortunately, most radios do not have a ground
connection. Finding a good earth ground may also be difficult.
For more detailed information, please visit www.ccrane.com/radionoise