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Bleeding through my car stereo

A

axplayer

Member
Jun 18, 2015
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Firstly, I'm sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong location. Hopefully someone one will have some insight regarding my issue.

I am currently running a RM kl 203p in my car. When I use it with my Grant XT on SSB the audio will start to bleed into my stereo. This does not happen when I am on AM. But....I've hooked up a midland handheld (switched it to low power) with the 203p and it bleeds into the stereo. The handheld is only AM. I'm not sure what is going on and I'm thinking it's this pos $10 antenna. I do have a Tram 3500 on the way so I may soon get my answer but....it's funny how it bleeds on one radio while on SSB and not on AM and bleeds on AM on the other. Besides, the antenna....could it be anything else? Any insight would be helpful.
 

You might need to put some ferrite chokes on your speaker leads if the new antenna doesn't help.

73,
Brett
 
Antenna system is the most important thing besides the radio. Good luck with the tram 3500 as well. The quality of those antennas isn't very good. They are a hit or miss antenna. Just a rebadged Wilson. Hopefully you get a good one and don't have issues with it. Also make sure to have a good mount, coax, and connectors. Also make sure all grounds for radio and amp are good. Just my 2 pennies. Good day.
 
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axplayer said:
Firstly, I'm sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong location. Hopefully someone one will have some insight regarding my issue.

I am currently running a RM kl 203p in my car. When I use it with my Grant XT on SSB the audio will start to bleed into my stereo. This does not happen when I am on AM. But....I've hooked up a midland handheld (switched it to low power) with the 203p and it bleeds into the stereo. The handheld is only AM. I'm not sure what is going on and I'm thinking it's this pos $10 antenna. I do have a Tram 3500 on the way so I may soon get my answer but....it's funny how it bleeds on one radio while on SSB and not on AM and bleeds on AM on the other. Besides, the antenna....could it be anything else? Any insight would be helpful.
Click to expand...
I had a Loose pl259 once and RF got into my stereo and also caused my ac to turn on and off and also stalled out my car like I had bad gas. Long shot but I'd check all the connections. But It's probably just the fact you're using the 203 amplifier. My setup now will get into the speakers a little bit so I just turn the stereo off.
 
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AL567 said:
I had a Loose pl259 once and RF got into my stereo and also caused my ac to turn on and off and also stalled out my car like I had bad gas. Long shot but I'd check all the connections. But It's probably just the fact you're using the 203 amplifier. My setup now will get into the speakers a little bit so I just turn the stereo off.
Click to expand...
We have a WINNER! Yep...Turn off the Amp...no more problems...

Or turn off the stereo when using the CB...You don't need to be broadcasting the stereo stations over channel 19 anyway...Just ticks off the Truckers.
 
I think you're on the right track with the antenna. If it's a mag mount there isn't a lot you can do. If a hard mount it needs a solid connection to the vehicle body. It is very important the coax is in good shape, the pl259s are soldered properly and the connections are tight.

The ferrite would be better used at the antenna feedpoint or wrapping a choke there. Keep in mind there are different mixes of ferrite and some are useless at 27mhz. Sometimes you have to use ferrite on the speaker wires or some part of the device being affected. It's best to try and solve the root cause first. Some research of common mode current might help you tremendously.
 
Everything sounds good. Going to double check all the connections tomorrow.
AL567 said:
I had a Loose pl259 once and RF got into my stereo and also caused my ac to turn on and off and also stalled out my car like I had bad gas. Long shot but I'd check all the connections. But It's probably just the fact you're using the 203 amplifier. My setup now will get into the speakers a little bit so I just turn the stereo off.
Click to expand...

Damn man, I would be dropping off my car at the local Catholic church if all that happened to me.

jessejamesdallas said:
We have a WINNER! Yep...Turn off the Amp...no more problems...
Click to expand...

Or turn off the radio...... I know and wholeheartedly agree. But to me signal bleeding like this only means I'm losing efficiency in the output somewhere so in the bid to increase efficiency, I'm trying to find out why. Or... I could be wrong and the simple truth is this amp just doesn't play well with my headunit.


543_Dallas said:
The ferrite would be better used at the antenna feedpoint or wrapping a choke there. Keep in mind there are different mixes of ferrite and some are useless at 27mhz. Sometimes you have to use ferrite on the speaker wires or some part of the device being affected. It's best to try and solve the root cause first. Some research of common mode current might help you tremendously.
Click to expand...
I did not know certain ferrites were useless on 27mhz. I always thought of them as magnets and it was the magnetic strength that played a role, regardless of the frequency. I'll try the ferrites I have and see what happens, than an air choke. Common mode current....thank you throwing that in. I will certainly look further.

space cowboy said:
free talkback!
congrats.
Click to expand...

You know if it sounded half decent...I would have never brought it up it here....lol.
 
axplayer said:
I'm not sure what is going on and I'm thinking it's this pos $10 antenna. I do have a Tram 3500 on the way so I may soon get my answer but....it's funny how it bleeds on one radio while on SSB and not on AM and bleeds on AM on the other. Besides, the antenna....could it be anything else? Any insight would be helpful.
Click to expand...

Its not the POS antenna, its the way the POS antenna is installed. You could replace that antenna with the best one on the planet but if its installed the same way you're still going to have the issue.

You mention efficiency and losing it. Well the way to both sort your problem and to get the best efficiency is to get out a drill, drill a hole in the middle of the roof of your car, install a Breedlove antenna mount and put the antenna on that.

When you run power you have to start to do things properly from the wiring to the antenna install. At 100W you're hitting the limit of the capacitive coupling to ground of a single 6" magnet magmount so then the RF starts to try and find new paths which involve the coax and your radio and the power wiring of your radio/amp into the car wiring.
 
have you drove around at night yet with the headlamps on? Just curious. The kl203 may not be enough juice to create "modulating headlamps" but I'd bet there's a chance you'll be seeing it when you drive at night. I agree with the hard mount antenna. I never liked mag mounts all they do is scratch up your car.
 

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I drive a Avalon with a sunroof so drilling holes on top of the roof isn't an option since the glass slides towards the rear. On the positive side, the Tram 3500 came in yesterday and the bleed through has stopped. It has a nice mount but the whip seems weak (time will tell). Despite this, it definitely out performs the small center load I had before. For what I paid, i'm happy with it. When I get a truck, than i will install one of those gigantic air coil antenna or at least a 102 whip. Right now, I live in mudduckville :)
 
It seems the CB Gods has smiled down at me. My radio is finally on its way to see a doctor for full check up! Got it off Amazon and I never felt it was working right, but it was a $35 Uniden Grant LT. I should have considered the difficulty of finding good and honest CB technicians, a lesson learned.
It seems I will be his last customer, I wish I wasn't. Many people after me will come across a sick cb that will need a CB Doctor.
 

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