On 26 Jul 2006 15:55:07 -0700, "SparkySKO" wrote
in . com:

It won't make any difference unless that ground (from the car chassis
to the radio) is very short.... just a few inches. Bolt the radio's
mounting bracket directly to metal (or as close to it as possible),
then run a SHORT ground wire to the metal.

This new radio I got, the Cobre 75, had a little matchbox that the
radio plugs into (it has the power and the antenna cable coming into
it, rest of radio is in a big microphone. I tried shoving that around
on various grounded UNPAINTED parts of my vehicle, and no difference.


Just to clarify, you grounded the "matchbox" part? And it didn't clear
up the noise? If so then that might be the best you can do. I would
focus on noise from some appliance in your house.


I'm wondering how close a capacitor has to be to the fuel pump to
actually have an effect. I'm going to try putting a noise filter inline
at the fuse block, and if that doesn't work, deeply ponder whether I
want to work under the truck on my gravel driveway .


As close to the fuel pump as possible. Just throw down a tarp. It's
worth the effort. You could also try using coax for the power line
from your battery (and grounding the shield), but that doesn't always
work.


I was just joking. But the power line is just the line going to the
house? I was under the impression that you were sitting under a major
distribution line or something. If the noise is coming from your house
power line you should be able to find out the source of the noise by
shutting off things in the house. A computer UPS or security backup
supply can cause gobs of noise, as can light dimmers and other small
appliances.

That's a good idea, I didn't think about the noise coming from devices
IN my house. I have quiet a few noisy flourescent lights that interfere
with my shortwave radio. Cursed cheap ballasts.

It would be better if you could run the coax -up- the hill and mount
the antenna as high as possible.

I wish I could. Uphill is the road and my neighbors. Luckily, in
Oregon, we have huge trees. I'll say it's a christmas ornament.


You're in beaverland? I'm just over here in Spokane. Are you on the
wet or dry side of the state?

Yeah, Actually Beaverton. Wet side. I'm on the other side of the hill,
a few miles from downtown Portland. I'm smack dab in the middle of all
of the interestates and major highways in Oregon (at least within 5
miles). The 5, 405, 26, 84/30, 217. I wish I could reliably hear
traffic on the 5!!


I worked at a radio shop in Albany in the late '80's and drove through
Portland on occasion when they were building all those highways......
gawd what a mess!!! One time it took me two hours to drive just two
miles! I hope it's improved since then.....