I've been struggling to figure this out since February. So far, I've replaced the antenna, replaced and redid the ground wiring, even replaced the radio and speakers, no difference at all.
The radio reception behaves like the antenna has a poor ground connection. Reception might weaken or cut out near structures and powerlines, this tells me that I might be looking at an antenna ground issue, but everything checks out on the multi-meter. Good conductivity on the antenna mount, etc, as well as the grounding point on the vehicle, practically no resistance at all according the ohms-meter. I've tested a brand new antenna/cable and the radio sounded the same. I even tried one of those "hidden" T-shaped ones that do not use a ground and it still didn't sound any better.. Again, this is a new head unit as well. There are zero issues using AUX or Bluetooth, and in those cases I can even crank up the volume and it sounds just fine. Whatever it is I'm now dealing with, it is strictly the radio reception that is being affected, nothing else. This could rule out the issue being a "ground loop", and so far, a brand new antenna, ground, and radio hasn't solved the issue.
I miss the beautiful radio reception I used to have. It didn't matter what I threw at it, heavily-wooded areas, hills, tall buildings, even the bottom of a multi-story parking garage, stations always came in loud and clear no matter what. This is the same commute I've been taking, and there have been no significant changes to the landscape or anything. Since this perplexing problem began, I can't even be inside the home garage without the reception weakening, and that did not use to be the case. There are specific spots on my route where the radio will sound how it should (or at least how it used to).
As I mentioned to the guy at the auto tech shop, "I'm not trying to 'improve' the radio reception, I'm just trying to regain the reception that I know I once had."
The radio reception behaves like the antenna has a poor ground connection. Reception might weaken or cut out near structures and powerlines, this tells me that I might be looking at an antenna ground issue, but everything checks out on the multi-meter. Good conductivity on the antenna mount, etc, as well as the grounding point on the vehicle, practically no resistance at all according the ohms-meter. I've tested a brand new antenna/cable and the radio sounded the same. I even tried one of those "hidden" T-shaped ones that do not use a ground and it still didn't sound any better.. Again, this is a new head unit as well. There are zero issues using AUX or Bluetooth, and in those cases I can even crank up the volume and it sounds just fine. Whatever it is I'm now dealing with, it is strictly the radio reception that is being affected, nothing else. This could rule out the issue being a "ground loop", and so far, a brand new antenna, ground, and radio hasn't solved the issue.
I miss the beautiful radio reception I used to have. It didn't matter what I threw at it, heavily-wooded areas, hills, tall buildings, even the bottom of a multi-story parking garage, stations always came in loud and clear no matter what. This is the same commute I've been taking, and there have been no significant changes to the landscape or anything. Since this perplexing problem began, I can't even be inside the home garage without the reception weakening, and that did not use to be the case. There are specific spots on my route where the radio will sound how it should (or at least how it used to).
As I mentioned to the guy at the auto tech shop, "I'm not trying to 'improve' the radio reception, I'm just trying to regain the reception that I know I once had."
