Factory Stereo

[djailer]

I live on a hill which is away from most of the radio antennas in the Puget Sound! When I get down the hill my reception usually goes static, in and out, etc. At first I just blamed the hill but at times the sound quality will instantly just increase dramatically...I get more and better volume, the reception is almost good. This doesn't happen too often but I sure enjoy it a lot better when it does. Is this the amp going in and out, or is it more likely to be the radio itself?

I don't think it is a connection since I have a really stiff suspension and it is bumping all the time without affecting the audio either way. I thought it might have been the stereo but then I wonder if it might just be the amp? I have been reading the posts and thought I read that the stereo won't even run the speakers without the amp so I can't test them without it? Everything is stock - as far as I can tell. Is there a way a novice can test either of these?

 

[bryanwheat]

Sounds like you are just loosing the signal. Is your antenna extending all the way out? If it doesn't go up all the way than it won't pick up stations as good.

 

[Archer Fabrications]

Sounds like you are just loosing the signal. Is your antenna extending all the way out? If it doesn't go up all the way than it won't pick up stations as good.

+1 thats why i now listen to pandora my antenna motor broke so it would just stay up all the time, didnt like the look of it so i shoved it permanintly down, get horrible signal, Mp3's & pandora it is!

 

[twitchferd420]

it most likely has nothing to do with your radio. what your getting is a white noise which is just interference from other signals.not much you can do about that.

 

[djailer]

Antenna is all the way up. I thought it was just a bad signal as well but when it does kick in I can get almost perfect reception from the very same place I was just getting a crappy signal. Other vehicles get much better reception where I get audio crap most of the time. Reception is fine once I am up the hill but when it kicks in it sounds like all of a sudden I have 5.0 Dolby sound or something. The stereo separation is much better and I get more volume as well. Too bad it doesn't happen often

I also thought it might be somewhere in the antenna connection but the periods of good signal don't go away - and it certainly doesn't come back - when I hit any bumps so it really doesn't seem to be a loose connection. I've tried wiggling the connections at the radio and at the amp and that has no effect.

I was going to put money on either the radio or amp going bad. They are 15 years old. I am really hoping someone has run into this.

 

[unplugged]

i'd suggest getting a replacement antennae

 

[bryanwheat]

Antenna is all the way up. I thought it was just a bad signal as well but when it does kick in I can get almost perfect reception from the very same place I was just getting a crappy signal. Other vehicles get much better reception where I get audio crap most of the time. Reception is fine once I am up the hill but when it kicks in it sounds like all of a sudden I have 5.0 Dolby sound or something. The stereo separation is much better and I get more volume as well. Too bad it doesn't happen often

I also thought it might be somewhere in the antenna connection but the periods of good signal don't go away - and it certainly doesn't come back - when I hit any bumps so it really doesn't seem to be a loose connection. I've tried wiggling the connections at the radio and at the amp and that has no effect.

I was going to put money on either the radio or amp going bad. They are 15 years old. I am really hoping someone has run into this.

Put a cd in it and see how that sounds. I am still betting that you are getting bad reception being that it is different at the bottom of the hill than at the top.

 

[djailer]

CDs work like champs. So did the last cassette I tried...right before it ate the tape. I doubt I have any of those anymore anyway!!
Nope, just the radio.

 

[Gt Boost]

dj i can get u the automatic antenna setup i have mine i need to remove from my car since i use pandora for everything you would just need to atach the main antenna that comes out since guys ex broke it before i bought car.

 

[bryanwheat]

CDs work like champs. So did the last cassette I tried...right before it ate the tape. I doubt I have any of those anymore anyway!!
Nope, just the radio.

If cd's play fine than the radio is fine as well as the amp. You are just getting bad reception. Your antenna probably isn't extending all the way out.

 

[se7enine]

Trace your antenna cable and look for breaks, pintches and anything else that might cause poor reception. If you have a good spare radio you can hook up, that will tell you if the antenna is bad or the stereo function on the stock radio is bad.

 

[djailer]

Went with the Pandora suggestion. I found IHeartRadio and Pandora and I can get them through my phone. I found an old cassette audio adapter and it fits perfectly in my phone. I don't think I will ever listen to my radio again