I can hear the radio through my VJ head ?

[ted s]

Ok, what's the deal with that ? Volume down to zero ziltch nada, no axe plugged in, I can hear the radio really faint, no $hit, turn up the V and it goes away.
Maybe my house in on an old settlers burial ground ?

 

[TS808]

Does it happen all the time? I've had a few amps in my lifetime that picked up radio signals too, but not consistently.

 

[duhvoodooman]

Not an unusual phenomenon, at all. You obviously have something in your VJr circuitry that's functioning as an antenna. I ran into that one day while testing different clipping diode combos in my ZYS pedal. When I'd grab one side of the diode loop with my hand, I'd get a local radio station coming through my amp quite clearly. I've heard of people getting audible radio station signals through the fillings in their teeth!! Now, THAT'S gotta be annoying....

 

[ted s]

I've heard of people getting audible radio station signals through the fillings in their teeth!! Now, THAT'S gotta be annoying....

Hey, that was an episode of Gilligan's Island !

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Hey, that was an episode of Gilligan's Island !

Hah, I was just going to say that was an episode of the Partrige Family. Susan Dey's braces I believe. Had a crush on that girl back then.

That radio thing happened to my C-30 one night, then I moved the amp a couple feet and it went away. Hasn't happened since.

 

[ted s]

Gonna have to wear my tin-foil helmet while playing now, maybe I should have posted this in the old area 51 thread.

 

[just strum]

Well since no one can give you the fix, I hope for your sake you are picking up a good station.ude:

 

[Spudman]

First thing is to make sure your guitar cable is unplugged. If it's gone after you do that then it's internal. IF it didn't do it and recently started then the first thing to rule out is a physical occurrence, and the most affectable physical thing is the cable and guitar first.
Next step is inside the head and I'll bet if it is a common problem someone has already posted a fix on the web.

 

[wingsdad]

Since your problem is happening with no guitar plugged in, that rules out your Tele or Strat, if unshielded, doing their single coil RF noise antenna thing.

Does the room your amp is in have dimmer rheostats? If so, try turning off the lights. (Seriously: the rheostat could be picking up signal from a neighbor's house if there's one within 50 yards.)

Whether or not it does, have you tried facing the amp in a diferent direction? If those don't cure it, try plugging the amp into a different room's AC outlet.

 

[tunghaichuan]

If you do as Spudman suggests and test the amp without a cord plugged in and it still picks up radio signals here are a couple of things to try:

1. the wires from the jack to the board have a shield around them. This shield should only be connected at one end. If the shield has become disconnected, it will not shield the wires from picking up noise. A long run of unshielded wire can act as an antenna as Duhvoodooman pointed out.

2. If the shield is connected and the amp is still picking up the radio station you may want to track down some ferrite beads. These look like little doughnuts and go around the input and reject noise.

3. Wingsdad had a good suggestion as well.

tung

 

[sunvalleylaw]

First thing is to make sure your guitar cable is unplugged. If it's gone after you do that then it's internal. IF it didn't do it and recently started then the first thing to rule out is a physical occurrence, and the most affectable physical thing is the cable and guitar first.
Next step is inside the head and I'll bet if it is a common problem someone has already posted a fix on the web.

Mine must have been guitar cable or something like that. Happened only once in one location, and went away after that.

 

[ted s]

Thanks for the responses guys, the cable was plugged into alien amph, no fiddle connected. Not a big deal, could only hear it with my ear smashed up against it. Volume was zero, as soon as it was cracked open it would disappear.

 

[pes_laul]

OK the same thing happened to me today except it's louder than my guitar and the worse part its on a opra channel I still havent found a cure though

 

[oldguy]

OK the same thing happened to me today except it's louder than my guitar and the worse part its on a opra channel I still havent found a cure though

You can check w/ Plank Spanker or Robert first if ya want, but I'm pretty sure trading it for a Germino or Heatseeker will stop that nonsense.ancake:

 

[R_of_G]

If you can't fix it, you can always use it to experiment with. Play along with it, or over it, or under it, or around it. If you can't beat it, join it.:dude:

 

[LowEndWonder]

Radio =

You have good heavy magnets in your speakers.
Defeat the Ground loop.

 

[Fat Strings]

Same thing happened when we were trying to track my bass lines. Picked up some crazy mexican radio station. This was stupid loud through my headphones! Turns out the ground lift was on, on my rig. Try that also if your amp is so equipped. Flipped that switch to engage the ground and no more meriachi music! Although, that stuff was fun to play to!

FS

 

[eichaan]

I used to get radio on my Carvin SX-50 in one particular room here at school. But no place else. So it could be the location, not the amp.

 

[just strum]

Picked up some crazy mexican radio station...no more meriachi music! Although, that stuff was fun to play to!

FS

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[R_of_G]

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Nice Strum. I was expecting either that or the clip from Spinal Tap where the boys are playing at the Air Force Base and Nigel is getting the audio from the air-traffic controllers through his amp.

 

[Fat Strings]

LMAO! too funny fellas!

FS