On Wed, 09 Jul 2003 12:35:25 +1200, Gib Bogle
wrote:

Since my question relates to radio, there might be a more appropriate
newsgroup, in which case I'd appreciate directions to it.

I have a Fisher FM 550, which seems to be OK in terms of sound quality,
but which has a noise problem that is really irritating. The noise is a
buzzy crackle that comes and goes. Sometimes the sound is clean for
many minutes, sometimes the crackle is continuous for seconds on end,
mostly it is intermittent lasting a fraction of a second. (I'm
referring to FM mode.) I have tried varying the tuning a couple of
steps up and down on both sides of the station frequency, but this has
no effect. From my general electronics experience I'm guessing that the
noise is not caused by an electrical fault in the tuner, which seems to
mean it is either ambient radio interference or a signal problem.

I'd like advice on deciding what sort of problem I have, and also I need
to know more about FM antennas. My house is not far from the
transmitter (less than 20 miles) but I am located on the wrong side of a
small hill (I can't see the transmitter, which is on top of a remote
hill). The antenna is contained in a short plastic tube that is mounted
on the back of the tuner. Would it help to either mount it remotely
(e.g. in the roof space), or would I get better results with a
different, more powerful antenna? These questions assume that my
problem is with the signal.

BTW, often (not always) bad things happen to the sound as I move around
in the room.

It may be as simple as FM multipath noise due to poor reception. It
sounds like you described the AM antenna on the receiver - you may not
have an FM antenna hooked up at all, which may be the root of the
reception problems. Start out by hooking up a cheap dipole antenna to
the FM antenna connection and see if that solves it. If not, look
into something better - even TV rabbit ears can be better. The best
is a rooftop or attic FM or TV antenna, the higher the better.

Gary E

|Gary A. Edelstein
(remove NO SPAM and .invalid to reply)
|"We have met the enemy and he is us." - Walt Kelly's Pogo

Mark D. Zacharias wrote:

I'm not familiar with this model, whether it's solid-state, tube, analog,
digital.
However, the static you mention made me think of an arcing power switch.
Might be fine some of the time, then act up.
Outside aerials are best, but the signal fading as you walk around the room
has a simple cause. The radio signal bounces of your body and occasionally
cancels the antenna signal at certain points as you move around. Just
putting a dipole higher might help. The "short plastic tube" doesn't sound
like any FM antenna I'm familiar with. Could it be the AM ferrite bar?

It is solid state, and the frequency selection is push-button, in fixed
increments. The plastic tube contains something connected by 4 wires -
it may well be the AM antenna (you can see I am very ignorant of these
matters). Thanks for the dipole advice.

Gib

Gary A. Edelstein wrote:

On Wed, 09 Jul 2003 12:35:25 +1200, Gib Bogle
wrote:


Since my question relates to radio, there might be a more appropriate
newsgroup, in which case I'd appreciate directions to it.

I have a Fisher FM 550, which seems to be OK in terms of sound quality,
but which has a noise problem that is really irritating. The noise is a
buzzy crackle that comes and goes. Sometimes the sound is clean for
many minutes, sometimes the crackle is continuous for seconds on end,
mostly it is intermittent lasting a fraction of a second. (I'm
referring to FM mode.) I have tried varying the tuning a couple of
steps up and down on both sides of the station frequency, but this has
no effect. From my general electronics experience I'm guessing that the
noise is not caused by an electrical fault in the tuner, which seems to
mean it is either ambient radio interference or a signal problem.

I'd like advice on deciding what sort of problem I have, and also I need
to know more about FM antennas. My house is not far from the
transmitter (less than 20 miles) but I am located on the wrong side of a
small hill (I can't see the transmitter, which is on top of a remote
hill). The antenna is contained in a short plastic tube that is mounted
on the back of the tuner. Would it help to either mount it remotely
(e.g. in the roof space), or would I get better results with a
different, more powerful antenna? These questions assume that my
problem is with the signal.

BTW, often (not always) bad things happen to the sound as I move around
in the room.


It may be as simple as FM multipath noise due to poor reception. It
sounds like you described the AM antenna on the receiver - you may not
have an FM antenna hooked up at all, which may be the root of the
reception problems. Start out by hooking up a cheap dipole antenna to
the FM antenna connection and see if that solves it. If not, look
into something better - even TV rabbit ears can be better. The best
is a rooftop or attic FM or TV antenna, the higher the better.

I think you are right, it looks as if I do not have an FM antenna at
all. Duh. Time to explore a dipole antenna. Thanks.

Gib

I made myself a simple dipole antenna, and now reception is crystal clear.

Gib