Radio Interference

Jalevinemd

Jalevinemd

Inspired
I'm getting radio interference (can hear the broadcast) when I'm using some of the higher gain settings on the FX8. I tried the same guitar and amp with a different pedalboard. Had similar white noise, but no radio. Running straight into the front of the amp (no 4 CM). Using a humbuster cable from the FX8 to the amp. Does this sound like a grounding issue with the outlet the FX8 is plugged into, the amp's outlet or possibly both. Going out to buy a ground fault detector today.
 
radio is usually due to the wiring in the building. i don't know how to stop it specifically, and i have done some gigs where we had break music between every song... some country station!
 
Does it still play radio when you have a high gain patch loaded but no guitar and guitar cable plugged into the FX8?
 
maxdown said:
Does it still play radio when you have a high gain patch loaded but no guitar and guitar cable plugged into the FX8?
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Interestingly...no. There's no radio interference. Even the white noise is a whole lot better without anything plugged into the FX8 input. Signs point to the guitar but it happens with several different ones. I'm still gonna find out about the grounding state of my outlets.
 
It's often the guitar. Most electronics are not properly shielded in all but the highest end guitars (usually, always exceptions!). I got it once at my jam spot. It can be the cable too, but if you've tried many, you may want to line the electronics cavity of your guitar with 3M metal tape.
 
brads4 said:
It's often the guitar. Most electronics are not properly shielded in all but the highest end guitars (usually, always exceptions!). I got it once at my jam spot. It can be the cable too, but if you've tried many, you may want to line the electronics cavity of your guitar with 3M metal tape.
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My main player is an Alembic...it's very well shielded. Ron Wickersham definitely knows his way around the cavity of a guitar. :D
 
I'll bet it's an AM radio station. ;)

This stuff usually gets in through your guitar or guitar cable, into the front of the amp. The radio signal gets into the guitar's wiring or through a poorly-shielded cable, gets rectified (usually by a bad solder joint in the guitar or cable), and goes into your amp as audio.

Things that make it worse: high gain, bad guitar cable, poor shielding in the guitar or cable, single-coil or tapped pickups, proximity to an AM transmitter (if you're close enough to the transmitter, there's no way to stop it).
 
Check around the net for some Ham Radio websites. Most often they (I am still a Ham de AA5ZX) have info on RF interference and where to find the filters you need to prevent it (if its coming in on the AC line). Most times the length of the guitar cable can act as a harmonic of the wave (antenna) for the radio stations signal. Other times its the AC in the wall with improper (or no) ground. And then theres other times when the Radio station is at fault for using a noisy transmitter/antenna site. Take that guitar preamp and cables across town and plug it into a music stores amp just for grins and see if you hear anything weird. Eat that elephant one bite at a time. :eagerness:
 
I remember being very excited when I got a cheap (Boss I think) wireless guitar system many moons ago - worked ok at home - then went to one of our residency gigs in the city ..... got lovely crystal clear local taxi radio messages. When I had a chorused/delayed patch loaded it sounded like I was in contact with lost souls.
 
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