fuzzy AM radio (2007 GD3)

[rling]

Haven't had my jazz long, but I really notice how much worse the AM radio sounds than in my previous car. It's sounds like everyone is talking through a sweatsock. Really blurry and fuzzy and hard to understand. FM sounds great though.

Anyone else have that? Could it be the tiny radio aerial? My last car had a wire aerial about 3 feet long, and sounded crystal clear.

If it's just bad quality in the stock head unit, well I was trying to decide whether to get a new one and get USB/bluetooth, or just add an AUX port, and this would make me think to go for a new one.

Cheers
R

[GU357]

the 07 has the bee-sting aerial at the back yeh?

[GU357]

it could be because!
a) it has a short aerial.
b) your getting RFI (i think that's what its called); its where you have cables that are powering other devices, if the cables are near the aerial wire then it will induce a voltage in the wire and make that fuzzy sound.
c) AM has less signal strength i believe so its hard to pick up anyway.
d) Dodgy cable/connections (that for some reason are only affected on AM)

You can try this
a) getting a longer aerial the early model GD3's had a long aerial at the front going back over the car (thats what i have but took it off) you can try getting one of them i believe the thread is the same pitch.
b) make sure theres nothing up there.
c) inspect the aerial (i dunno how maybe take it to a stereo shop lol)

[sdx91]

i have that but thats cos i put a stubby one on and its not even a proper stubby one lol just for looks.. i listen to cd anyway most of my FM works fine and havnt tried AM yet.. btw does the jazz have an antenna on the boot?

[GU357]

who wants am radio anyway LOL.

[rling]

the 07 has the bee-sting aerial at the back yeh?

Yes its the short aerial at the back
I didn't realise it could just be unscrewed....handy!
I might replace it with a coat hanger (bent into shape of australia) and see if that works better

Plenty good stuff on AM. I'd rather listen to Adam Spencer than 2'che FM or Coma FM

R

[rling]

Tried just putting a long stiff wire in there today and it made no difference.
Actually it sounded the same even without any aerial.
There is a crackle when I touch the wire to the aerial fiting, otherwise I'd think it wasnt even connected at all.

Guess I will have to try a different head unit and see if it sounds better with the same aerial. Not looking forward to it everyone bitches about how hard it is to get to.
Might as well put in the AUX cable while I'm in there

Cheers
R

[GU357]

maybe a bad earth?

when installing an aftermarket Head unit u need a new fascia, and then you need to get a new Unit.
Lots of people say they have difficulty reconnecting the aerial wire on an aftermarket head unit.
And then that might not even fix the problem.