Hello all,

Has anyone had complete static on the AM Radio on all stations at any time?

Thanks

 

Probably an antenna issue. Don’t know if I’ve ever used AM in the 9 years I’ve owned the car.

 

I did on the XF after installing a dash cam (with both front and rear facing cameras). Apparently the rear camera wire I had it too close to the antenna wire. You don't happen to have an aftermarket dash cam mounted or some other aftermarket electronics?

 

Agree on the antenna. FIrst thing to check is if the antenna cable is connected to the radio, and perhaps at the other end as well. Also agree with add-ons, as some emit a lot of interference, though that sounds different than static. Gosh, I haven't used the "lightning detector" (AM radio) in any car in decades, too much interference.

 

What is AM Radio?

 

Something you listen to in the morning?

 

Oh, you child.

 

No aftermarket work done. The problem existed from day one. Dealer doesn’t know.

 

It stands for Amplitude modulated rather than Frequency modulated (FM)

Extremely good at picking up static, and in the uk, French rubbish stations, and classic gold UK station. Precious little else.

 

in America it’s critical for emergency, traffic and local news information.

 

Wow. I imagine that's because of the extra range needed in the states. In the UK FM is used for traffic, and saddled onto the Classic FM radio station. Local news is FM. Not sure we have emergency info!

 

I’m wondering if the problem is wide spread but most people never tried to use it. I watched a very amateur foreign review and he was saying that Jags no longer have AM radio! Again, my problem is intermittent. It can be in the garage and working fine, I start the car 25 minutes later and it’s all static.

The dealer said there are no codes and it works fine. I go to pick it up and we witnessed that it was all static.

 

It's actually "modulation", not modulated (although it is modulated).

 

like this?

 

If anyone cares: AM broadcast operates at a much lower frequency than FM, and is subject to skip, interference, etc. much more than FM is. AM also mixes multiple signals together, while FM locks onto the stronger one. All of this makes FM better.

 

Except, as I said, am has a longer range. Theoretically worldwide if it skips perfectly off the Ionosphere. Fm is line of sight

 

Bad ground connection

 

This thread reminds me of the days of my youth when we would install AM/FM/8 Track or AM/FM/Cassette head units in cars to replace the factory radios. Mitigating static was often an issue. Sometimes it required resistor type spark plugs be installed but more often than not it was a grounding issue somewhere in the wiring. I suspect in the case of the OP, either the antenna isn't properly grounded or it may be the main Meridian unit itself. I would start with the component that requires the least amount of interior panels to be removed.

Regarding AM radio: I live up in the mountains a good distance from any major city and FM radio reception is about non-existent. However even when I am down from the mountain the FM stations all suck anyway so I listen to Siruis XM. However, I can pick up KFI AM 640 out of Los Angeles which is one of those old powerhouse stations that was first licensed almost 100 years ago. So I have them tuned as one of my favorites as they are useful for emergency info, news and traffic for example.

There is also a very low power AM station in my town that is automated and for emergency information only like forest fires, road closures due to mudslides or rock slides, etc. I also have that station saved.

But the old heyday AM stations that played Top 40 or had interesting talk shows are few and far between these days. But I'm glad I have AM available if I need it.

 

As a kid, I used to use our AM radio late at night to see what I could pick up. The record was a small town station 930 miles away, thanks to signal skip.

 

Where is the actual Meridian main unit at? Remember the problem is consistently randomly intermittent.