Pajero Owners Club of South Africa

My JVC head unit has been suffering from interference pretty much since the day I bought it. It's definitely related to the ignition, but ONLY on 5FM... no other station suffers from it and it doesn't happen with any other audio source.

What to do? The audio guys say that the fact that it is related to only one station then a suppressor won't work.

A suppressor might well work. 5FM sometimes is not broadcast with the same RF power as the other stations, hence you could pick up interference. I would expect however, that in a major area such as the WC, that 5FM might have an equally strong transmitter, but one never knows. You might be tuned to a gap-filler which is far weaker than a normal terrestrial FM transmitter.

Anyone else in your neighbourhood suffer from this same problem?

Check also that the antenna is well-earthed to the bodywork of the car, and not battling to do so through a possible source of rust. Assuming you have a normal whip antenna of course, not sure whether your vehicle has an "in glass" one. If so, replace it with a decent external mount whip antenna.


-F_D

Simon

Being a Capie, I know all to well of the interference.

Have you tried to tune into any of the other 5FM stations, they broadcast on about three if I remember correctly. If memory serves its 88.2 and 88.9 and one other.

This morning no interference so I'm also guessing atmospherics play a part. I want to replace the power antenna one day with a whip anyway, but it's a huge mission to get into the fender to do the job.

Is it possible to but some sort of "booster" like you get with standard television antennas?

So your vehicle is fitted with a custom type antenna then. Fitting a booster will improve the signal, but not the signal/noise ratio, as you will boost noise together with the RF signal. Best thing you can do is to simply fit a decent whip antenna on the fender, but on the opposite side to sparkplugs/ignition circuitry/alternator, if at all possible.


Simon, aren't you perhaps a bit old to be listening to 5FM.....


-F_D

Simon, aren't you perhaps a bit old to be listening to 5FM.....

hehehehe

Family_Dog wrote:So your vehicle is fitted with a custom type antenna then. Fitting a booster will improve the signal, but not the signal/noise ratio, as you will boost noise together with the RF signal. Best thing you can do is to simply fit a decent whip antenna on the fender, but on the opposite side to sparkplugs/ignition circuitry/alternator, if at all possible.

No, it's not a custom antenna - it's the bog standard power antenna that all Pajeros have. I do want to replace it with a whip anyway cos it's not going to last long cos I keep forgetting to lower it on a trail.

I'll ignore the 5FM comment