HD Radio goes in and out!!

[Ktj2023]

Why does the HD radio go in and out? It's really annoying when one second it's clear and the next it's faint and scratchy. Anybody having this problem? Along with a solution?

 

[AgentSmith007]

I have the same issue. It's probably because antenna built into the rear windshield. Plus, I think that quality of reception also depends how far the broadcast station is. Also, interference from city structures, nsa surveillance video cameras (j.k.), etc. I am not sure if there is a solution.

 

[landtuna]

Why does the HD radio go in and out? It's really annoying when one second it's clear and the next it's faint and scratchy. Anybody having this problem? Along with a solution?

Describe your location and the terrain. Also the distance between your car and the station and the terrain in between if you can.

HD (digital) radio is more suseptable to breakup (loss of signal) than analog FM radio and also does not have the signal strength or reception distance of companion analog FM radio. Buildings, tunnels and mountains can all cause loss of signal.

 

[Ktj2023]

I live in the baltimore area and certain stations are fine but at times it is inconsistent. I notice on the highway it does this moreso than city driving. Is the audio quality bad without HD radio turned on?

 

[Jon Jackson]

I know I sound like an old fart but I can't get AM. At all.

 

[landtuna]

I live in the baltimore area and certain stations are fine but at times it is inconsistent. I notice on the highway it does this moreso than city driving. Is the audio quality bad without HD radio turned on?

I worked in central Baltimore in the late 70's and think I remember the topography. Depending upon where you are driving (outlying freeways or interior city streets) your reception may be very different. There are not a lot of tall mountains around Baltimore but there are tall buildings and digital radio doesn't work very well in that environment mainly due to the weaker signal (compared to analog FM).

I have the Lexicon audio system in my R-spec and cannot notice the difference in audio quality between local analog FM and HD. Experts say HD is "quieter" with greater response but in a car I doubt you would ever notice the difference.

If you travel the same route each day it would be interesting to note where the signal is prone to drop. If it is approximately the same location each time I suspect it is just a failing of the HD system and not your car radio. This is perhaps the most common complaint issued against HD radio nationwide.

 

[landtuna]

I know I sound like an old fart but I can't get AM. At all.

Where do you live and how far is a typical AM station from you? Is that station a full-power broadcaster or one with a limited power and direction?

You can use the following site to find stations in your area. Each station has a coverage map associated with it. If you are inside the signal contour you should be able to hear it although depending upon your immediate surroundings it may be subject to static, buzzing and other interference from power lines, fluorescent lights, computers etc.

http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/locate

If you can identify a local station that you should be able to hear and you still cannot get it then I suspect you have a problem with your radio and/or antenna.

 

[GenesisCaptain]

I have the Lexicon audio system in my R-spec and cannot notice the difference in audio quality between local analog FM and HD. Experts say HD is "quieter" with greater response but in a car I doubt you would ever notice the difference.

Mine is a marked difference between old school FM and HD. When I first tune to an HD station in mine, it is regular, and it takes a few seconds for the car to lock into the HD feed and switch. The most profound difference is the clearer high frequencies in cymbals, guitars, and some vocals. It sounds as if someone took cotton balls from my ears and the old sound was muffled. The second major difference after listening for a bit is much better signal to noise ratio in HD (harder to tell when driving). My hearing is not that red hot anymore, but it is still a major change. HD sounds just like a CD or a high quality MP3 (not over Bluetooth) compared to FM.

 

[landtuna]

Mine is a marked difference between old school FM and HD. When I first tune to an HD station in mine, it is regular, and it takes a few seconds for the car to lock into the HD feed and switch. The most profound difference is the clearer high frequencies in cymbals, guitars, and some vocals. It sounds as if someone took cotton balls from my ears and the old sound was muffled. The second major difference after listening for a bit is much better signal to noise ratio in HD (harder to tell when driving). My hearing is not that red hot anymore, but it is still a major change. HD sounds just like a CD or a high quality MP3 (not over Bluetooth) compared to FM.

I am 70 and probably have average hearing loss for my age group so don't take what I write as gospel but you might try this:

Compare the signals of several different analog FM's as their engineering could be different - some good and some not so good. See if you notice the difference in all examples. Also, I can imagine you might find that listening to classical music on HD might give you better frequency response than listening to Oldies for example. The recording quality definitely does matter too. I have an upscale stereo system, not HD, in my house and can notice sounds there that I cannot hear in the car but that is probably due to ambient noise in the car (since I don't listen to the radio except when driving). I have put music on my flash drive and listened to it on both systems and cannot tell the difference although the noise levels on the Lexicon seem to be better than on my home stereo.

That said, I do use HD when it is available but the station I listen to the most is just a plain old FM and it sounds great.

 

[GenesisCaptain]

Compare the signals of several different analog FM's as their engineering could be different - some good and some not so good. See if you notice the difference in all examples.

I have 16 stations in my preset rotation. One is FM-only and the other 15 are HD. About a third are both FM & HD, and the rest are HD-only (HD-2 or HD-3). The music types are country, classic rock, pop, and hip hop.

I do not have any patience for DJ chatter or commercials, so I am constantly changing stations. The engineering sounds pretty much the same on all but one of the HD channels-- on that one, the HD comes in much quieter than its FM feed and all the other HD feeds. I never miss the transition from FM to HD every channel change-- in part because there is the 1 to 2 second crosstalk transition from the FM to HD. Then, it sounds much brighter and cleaner. I can even hear the difference when most DJs are talking, especially with a women's voice.

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[amartz]

I do not have any patience for DJ chatter or commercials, so I am constantly changing stations.

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