mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
I'm sorry to have to break this news to you, but your truck is likely possessed. Contact clergy to have it blessed.
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RF noise coming in when antenna is installed on the NMO mount
- Thread starter OhSixTJ
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I'm sorry to have to break this news to you, but your truck is likely possessed. Contact clergy to have it blessed.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
But seriously now, any LED's in the tail lights, running lights, clearance lights, license plate lights, etc??
First, grounding the radio through the antenna mount -only- is NOT a good idea at all. And from what you've described, the antenna 'ground' is secondary to the 'power line' ground that you also have. Don't depend on the antenna ground as a power ground. You're asking the feed line to do something it was never intended to do, gotta be a better way.
Different ciruits in the car making noises in different places. Sounds normal to me with later vehicles. Has to do with how power is supplied to those devices (head lights, etc.), computer driven so also a 'built-in' noise generator. You could try by-passing those devices.
none. I tried turning the lights off after reading about her forum post about a guy with noise on his cb radio.
w2xq
Mentor
Doc, I read that comment but it seems strange to me. My installs all were wired to the battery or connections associated with said battery -- as others have writren earlier -- to power a radio. An antenna ground supplies power?
A quick test of whither noise might be to throw a mag mount on the vehicle. If there is no noise...
I notice the OP has cross posted this question in Reddit. Those replies are much the same as those here.
And, as I said, the dealer should have access to factory notes on radio installs and interference.
Whatever. Putting two-way radios in today's rolling computers with 4 wheels obviously is different than what I grew up with in the 1960s and 1970s. I am absolutely no expert on the subject; my last install was a 144/440 50 watt radio with an NMO roof mount on a 2006 Ford Escape. The ohmmeter was my friend.
A quick test of whither noise might be to throw a mag mount on the vehicle. If there is no noise...
I notice the OP has cross posted this question in Reddit. Those replies are much the same as those here.
And, as I said, the dealer should have access to factory notes on radio installs and interference.
Whatever. Putting two-way radios in today's rolling computers with 4 wheels obviously is different than what I grew up with in the 1960s and 1970s. I am absolutely no expert on the subject; my last install was a 144/440 50 watt radio with an NMO roof mount on a 2006 Ford Escape. The ohmmeter was my friend.
Firekite
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I think maybe what he was saying is that even with the ground lead left undone it still powers up due to the grounding of the NMO mount acting as the power ground. It wasn’t stated like that, but that’s all I could figure out.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
So, not sure if this is going to do the trick, but here's what I would do….
Isolate the power. If you have a 12 volt battery, leaving the radio where it is, disconnect the 12 volt supply coming from the truck and use the battery instead. See if the noise goes away. If it does, noise is getting in through the power leads.
Disconnect the antenna, see if the noise goes away (I think you said it does). Disconnect the coax connector on the back of the radio and see what happens.
I think the approach needs to be tracking down where the noise is getting into the radio and working from there.
You may have to start sniffing around under the dash or in the engine compartment with a hand held radio to see if you can find where RFI is coming from. You may have to get creative with shielding/grounding.
Isolate the power. If you have a 12 volt battery, leaving the radio where it is, disconnect the 12 volt supply coming from the truck and use the battery instead. See if the noise goes away. If it does, noise is getting in through the power leads.
Disconnect the antenna, see if the noise goes away (I think you said it does). Disconnect the coax connector on the back of the radio and see what happens.
I think the approach needs to be tracking down where the noise is getting into the radio and working from there.
You may have to start sniffing around under the dash or in the engine compartment with a hand held radio to see if you can find where RFI is coming from. You may have to get creative with shielding/grounding.
jim202
Member
There is a few other things you can try. I have found that some frequencies can be effected by the normal AM FM radio in the vehicle. Find the fuse for the radio and pull it out. See if that made a difference.
The second place I would try is the engine alternator. There is a plug on the top or back with 2 wires. Carefully unsnap it and pull the plug. Start the engine and see if the noise changed. Don't forget to put the plug back in after your test.
The fuel pump is needed to allow the engine to run, so you can't try killing the power to it. Normally it shows up as a wide band of a pulse type of noise.
Trying to locate noise in a vehicle is not easy. As others have mentioned, the use of a portable radio moved around under the hood and different locations around the vehicle. It is not easy to locate noise of this type. So don't get frustrated in your efforts.
Come back with anything that may help the group on here help you. Feedback is the only way that we can help.
Jim
The second place I would try is the engine alternator. There is a plug on the top or back with 2 wires. Carefully unsnap it and pull the plug. Start the engine and see if the noise changed. Don't forget to put the plug back in after your test.
The fuel pump is needed to allow the engine to run, so you can't try killing the power to it. Normally it shows up as a wide band of a pulse type of noise.
Trying to locate noise in a vehicle is not easy. As others have mentioned, the use of a portable radio moved around under the hood and different locations around the vehicle. It is not easy to locate noise of this type. So don't get frustrated in your efforts.
Come back with anything that may help the group on here help you. Feedback is the only way that we can help.
Jim
Firekite
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Maybe. Many other possibilities, too. Key on powers way more than just a computer.
I'm still searching for the cause. As stated it's kind of weird. You can see the noise sweeping up on the s-meter and sometimes it'll stay there, sometimes it fades back down. This, again, is key on/engine off. And again, headlights being on sometimes makes the RX audio drop out. Definitely has to be the computer or something.
speedway_navigator
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- Apr 30, 2008
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- 1,298
Are you sure it's not your wife? Mine's always making noise....
Had a scanner that did this in a 1991 Camry. NMO mount, tried different grounds, etc. The only thing I could get to work was to isolate the shield of the coax from the BNC jack on the scanner. I never did figure out what caused it. It did not affect my 2-way radio, only the scanner.
You could probe the battery with an o-scope with the key on/off, and then check it at the plug for the radio. Do this with the radio connected and disconnected from power and with the antenna on/off. I would imagine that you'd eventually see the spikes on the scope in one or more of those instances.
You could also pull the fuses as suggested above. I'd pull the fuel pump just to see if the noise goes away.
You could probe the battery with an o-scope with the key on/off, and then check it at the plug for the radio. Do this with the radio connected and disconnected from power and with the antenna on/off. I would imagine that you'd eventually see the spikes on the scope in one or more of those instances.
You could also pull the fuses as suggested above. I'd pull the fuel pump just to see if the noise goes away.
K9RPL
Member
I had a similar situation with my Kenwood TM-281a in my 2012 Camry. It's picking up a perfect clear S5 carrier on 146.76 that tends to come and go as I drive. If I take off the external trunk antenna it goes away. If I shut of the ignition it remains, but turning the car completely off clears it.
I'd been trying to find it for two weeks and finally discovered the source by using a handheld and it found strongest on the passenger side which by no coincidence is right where the some of the computers are.
I'd been trying to find it for two weeks and finally discovered the source by using a handheld and it found strongest on the passenger side which by no coincidence is right where the some of the computers are.
Coincidentally, my Pro-2006 was remote mounted under the passenger seat with the remote head on the dash.
speedway_navigator
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A sheriff's office we worked with had a few Dodges with RFI but they found out the installer had nicked a wire with a screw during the mounting bracket install.
Would it be worth using a 120v power supply and a mag mount isolated from the body by a piece of cardboard to totally isolated the wiring from the body?
Would it be worth using a 120v power supply and a mag mount isolated from the body by a piece of cardboard to totally isolated the wiring from the body?
dwgelle
Member
I have same issue on 2 meters / vhf in my 2013 & 2017 Ford Explorers. On the 2013 it starts when the engine is one and on the 2017 as soon as ACC power is on. Been trying Ferrite but no luck yet.
Me too as the fuel pump only runs for about 3 seconds when the key is turned to on but then stops unless the vehicle is started.
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