Radio troubles

[SVD]

Besides the power/phone lines messing up the AM reception of a radio, what would cause the reception of a radio to become poor?

The reception in my little battery operated radio would, after about a song or two, would become progressively fuzzier and hiss and pop, eventually receiving nothing after a while when I listened to it next to my Laptop. What's going on there?

 

[trekkiedane]

Besides the power/phone lines messing up the AM reception of a radio, what would cause the reception of a radio to become poor?

The reception in my little battery operated radio would, after about a song or two, would become progressively fuzzier and hiss and pop, eventually receiving nothing after a while when I listened to it next to my Laptop. What's going on there?

ALL electromagnetic fields interfere with radio reception - it is probably your laptop but it could also be the proximity to you that interferes (remember 'rabbit ears' for TVs? reception depended on whether you were near the antenna or not, if you touched it or not)

Of course it could also just be dodgy electronics in the radio...

 

[SVD]

Well, the radio is working OK, now. I'm listeninbg to radio coverage of the Giants game (TV coverage on the affiliate that carries the games preempted for Smack Down).

I think my WiFi being on was fooling with it, it's now off.

Funny thing though, rolling the wheel on my mouse causes interference.

 

[sojourner]

Wireless mouse?

 

[RobertVA]

AM radio is particularly susceptible to interference. A couple of months ago I noticed significant improvement receiving the AM band when I unplugged the charger for my MP3 player.

Ever notice the FCC compliance sticker on most computer equipment? The early home computers in the late 1970s tore radio and TV reception within several dozen feet up. After a few years modifications like conductive paint inside the plastic cases, electrical bonding strips between the case and lid and ferrite rings for peripheral cables started appearing.

 

[SVD]

Wireless mouse?

No, wired, and the other clicks do nothing to the reception.

 

[JustAFriend]

Mice and their wiring are not shielded.

Just the wires themselves can act as antennas, altering the reception of a nearby radio.

EVERYTHING messes with AM - even solar flares and the steel beams in your building, that's why no quality broadcasters are using it anymore....

 

[SVD]

This is FM, I dont try Am on the thing with the power and phone lines nearby.