National grid affecting my car radio?

Question

I used to own a car which, I guess, had a dodgy aerial connection, the radio would go very quiet, I'd tap the radio fascia and it would go loud again.

My question is, though, it would also come loud again if I drove under National Grid electricity wires. Anyone got any ideas how that could happen?

Jim R - I thought that, but it happened time after time

Answer 1

Getting a difference when tapping the facia panel doesn't indicate to me a poor antenna connection.
Likely there was a damaged or poor electrical contact inside the radio.

Possibly when passing under power lines (probably very high voltage ones) the radiated electromagnetic field excited the perhaps faulty circuitry in some way causing a change in sensitivity or volume.

Without seeing this happen first hand it is just a guessulation on my part . :-)

http://www.swdxer.co.nr/

Answer 2

Contact your insurance company and make a report, making sure they have a copy of the police report. Since you dropped your collision, they may or may not be able to help you, but they still to know about it. Either you, or your insurance will then file a claim with the at fault parties insurance. If they accept liability, your medical expenses will be paid and your car repaired or declared a total. In the even they declare it a total, they will give you fair market value for the car. If that's less than what you owe, you will pay any remaining balance unless you have GAP insurance in place. When the bank finds out you dropped full coverage, they may declare your loan in default and demand full payment. Most banks require you to keep full coverage and name them as loss payee. You don't need an attorney as of yet. You might if the bank takes action. Good luck.

Answer 3

The most common effect is electrical interference (noise, static) due to the arcing that's almost unavoidable with so many conductors at high voltage in one place. The next effect is the shielding/focusing effect of large conductors on electromagnetic waves. You would move from a steady signal in free space to a confused and chaotic signal space with nulls, peaks, and multipath signals. To find out if it's your radio instead, make the trip several times in other cars, and listen to various stations.

Answer 4

It is possible as the cables for the grid emit a magnetic field which can affect radio waves and radios.

Answer 5

It is highly unlikely that the power lines would have any real impact on your car radio. Perhaps it was co-incidence.