Xantia Radio problems

rlogue · Unread post by **rlogue** » 12 Jun 2004, 05:27

For a long time I've had intermittent engine inference buzzing from the radio when it was tuned to LW stations. I've recently had a JVC aftermarket radio fitted and find that the LW reception is even worse, most of the time. FM reception seems OK.
Sometimes the new radio can pick up LW stations quite well and then it loses them again. MW stations are mostly weak. However both my local Citroen garage and the radio supplier tried to bull**** me with stories like "AM is on lower power these days" and "the radio isn't designed to work on AM". As I know the radio CAN work well on MW/LW sometimes I know this just bull**** on their part.
I've been back to the radio supplier who thinks it's the car's electrics - but I took the car to my local Citroen dealer who thought it was the radio. I got the radio supplier to try other radios but they work intermittently too.
So what should I check to cure the problem??

lhm_leak · Unread post by **lhm_leak** » 12 Jun 2004, 18:59

You don't mention which vehicle/engine you have.
However, if FM reception is OK then your aerial's probably fine too. AM reception problems generally stem from two causes: the ignition system and the alternator. Does the radio whine? or crackle? or both? Is reception clear with the engine switched off? Does the interference vary with engine speed, if so, how?
There are so many possible causes of radio problems in a petrol car - better to narrow the search a bit first...
Stu.

MW · Unread post by MW » 12 Jun 2004, 19:25

Maybe I'm missing something, but if you're getting the same problem with your second radio as you did with your first, then it doesn't seem likely that the radio's to blame. I'd be more inclined to suspect an aerial cable problem - what do you get if you plug a different aerial into the back of the radio and then tune to LW?
All kinds of other gizmos can cause problems - mobile phones (and their chargers) can cause buzzes. Coils, capacitors, plug caps, HT leads can do it too. A Krypton check will often root out any dodgy components.
I've learned to live with my own problem. My radio (95 Xantia LX) gives me about a minute of white noise every time I switch it on from cold, then after that it settles down and normal service is resumed. It seems to be temperature-related, because the white noise period is longer on cold days than hot ones. And it doesn't make any difference whether the engine's been running for ten seconds or two hours, I still get the period of white noise. I imagine that some component in the radio's gone on the blink, but I can't really think it would be worth my while to track it down.
All thoughts gratefully received, though.

lhm_leak · Unread post by **lhm_leak** » 12 Jun 2004, 21:02

Possibly just a dry solder joint somwhere in the RF front end - does the cassette player work from 'cold' ?

rlogue · Unread post by **rlogue** » 13 Jun 2004, 05:19

I have a 2000 Xantia 2.0 HDi Diesel. Today the LW reception was OK but it deteriorated later in the day only to come back again. The system has a front-loading CD player and a DAB unit.
During the times when LW reception is bad there is a constant buzz rendering both BBC Radio 4 on 198 kHz and RTE Radio 1 on 252 kHz completely inaudible. However there are also times when both Radio 4 and RTE 1 are perfectly acceptable.
I have asked my local Citroen garage to fit a new aerial cable in the hope that this may cure the problem.

wrinklet1 · Unread post by **wrinklet1** » 13 Jun 2004, 15:49

Hi, having experience of car hi-fi, I think you will find that you will need a new aerial fitting and a replacement co-ax cable too. Water can and does get into the aerial base and causes corrosion to both the co-ax and aerial itself. You may see a dusty grey powder around the aerial base beneath the seal, thats a give away sign. Not a hard job, but a fiddly. I did it on my Xantia after the AM chanels seemed to get poor reception, once done the AM is now good.
Regards
Paul.

Rivendell · Unread post by **Rivendell** » 13 Jun 2004, 19:33

Hi, srry if I'm jumping on the bandwagon (no pun intended) but I've just bought a '94 Xantia 2.0 LX, and when I try to switch the radio on, the display lights up for a fraction of a second then goes off. There is a slight 'click' from the passend side speaker when this occurs, but other than that nothing. i ealise this isn't too much to go on, but does anyone have any ideas what the problem could be, other than the obvious one of a b*ggered radio

(
Cheers
Phil

Stuart McB · Unread post by **Stuart McB** » 14 Jun 2004, 00:17

I seem to remember from my very old school days that MW & LW are both affected by local weather conditions especially moisture. It's somthing to do with magnetic fields around the LW / MW wave form being dragged to earth over long distances. Any how enough of the techno blah [8D]. If it's of any use to you I have noticed over the year's that some radios just are crap in some cars. Example 2001 Ford Zetec Focus Radio casette, worked fine but when up-graded by Ford to a Radio CD player the reception was crap. Tried 2 other units and the same.In the end the wife stopped listening to Heart FM radio [:D](apparently hits from the 80's, 90's and 00's)and now listens to Radio 2. But in her new Renault Megane Convertible all stations on all bands sound as thought they're in the car with you brilliant. Mind she still listens to Radio 2, that Terry Wogan he's a hoot but It's only because I'm a TOGG.[:D][:D]

zorgman · Unread post by **zorgman** » 14 Jun 2004, 01:50

does it do it with the engine running?
get a country road and slowly drive along and see if at some point that it gets strong stop the car then move forward see if it starts to fade reverse and do the same.
if you get fading its your ant on de roof also it could be where your situated and at this time of year youll get sunspots which do all sorts of nastys with radio reception

lhm_leak · Unread post by **lhm_leak** » 14 Jun 2004, 05:43

Whichever way you look at it, the radio has to come out...
First, you need to confirm the cause - aerial or power supply. The easiest way of doing this is probably to remove the aerial plug from the back of the unit, and substituting a nice long(ish) piece of plain insulated wire. Insert the stripped end of the wire into the hole that accepts the centre pin of the plug - it's anything up to an inch deeper than the panel, depending on the type of connector used. Make sure the connection is reasonably tight, fold the bare wire if necessary and don't let it short to the outer sleeve. Bring the length of wire out and drape it over the passenger head restraint, leaving the rest on the back seat.
This gives you a (very) makeshift aerial, but it should work. At least, it always works for me...
Now try your radio, with the engine running. If the problem has gone and reception is clear, you need a new aerial and/or cable.
Otherwise, we need to do another quick test to determine whether the interference is conducted or radiated. Find or borrow a battery operated portable radio which will tune into the stations you want. Stick it on the passenger seat (turned up!) and go for a ride. If the problem replicates itself on the portable, then you have radiated interference and would be well advised to have the car's suppression components professionally checked. NOTE: as a portable radio is not designed for car use, you may get significantly more signal fading than normal - this is expected, what you're listening for is your "buzz".
If not, then you have conducted interference, which is the devil's own job to get rid of completely. I've resorted to some fairly fancy solutions for transmitting equipment in the past, but again, having the suppression components checked out, especially in the alternator department, would be a good start.

wrinklet1 · Unread post by **wrinklet1** » 14 Jun 2004, 15:53

Mw,Lw and Sw radio channels are affected by weather conditions and also by sunspot activity too, thats what causes the whistling sounds when you tune them in.
Have a look at www.scan.co.uk web site, look in the car hifi section, I have a Blaupunkt DAB52 radio from them, it has a CD,MP3 player, MMC player, AM/FM Radio and DAB digital Radio too. There is no interference with the DAB radio, although AM is still poor.Wait for the DAB52 to go onto Today Only, it is normally reduced by about £20 for one day. Comes with a DAB aerial too.
Regards
Paul

davey · Unread post by **davey** » 14 Jun 2004, 23:46

stuart and wrinklett have probably got the right answer,
rlogue,
used to work long haul radio comms in my youth, everything afects mw & lw (am), time of day, weather, atmospherics, the area you live in and both are very prone to interferance from anything electrical - overhead pwr lines, operating elec switches, mobile phones, 2 way radios etc. the list is endless. if your fm is ok on distant stations if so you antenna probably is good.

rlogue · Unread post by **rlogue** » 17 Jun 2004, 06:20

I've had the aerial cable changed - so far it's working a treat![:D]

wrinklet1 · Unread post by **wrinklet1** » 17 Jun 2004, 11:56

Good news Rlogue