Radio static
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 895
Likes: 306
From: se wi
Radio static
On my wife's 13 street glide she is complaining that the radio is starting to act up. 2 years ago we sent it to iron cross to be worked on cause the radio would lose sound. Now she is saying she is hearing a lot of static with every station she turns on. It does have a Rockford amp and infinity kappa speakers, which have been on the bike for 5 years so I doubt the amp mounted on top of the radio is the problem. I am going to take the fairing off when I get home from work to check all the connections out but was just wondering if anyone here has any ideas or has had the same problem? And yes it is the stock Harmon radio.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,716
Likes: 919
From: Southern Virginia
I had a similar situation a while back. The Rockford amp DOES spew RF but if you live in or near a big city the signals are probably strong enough to overcome the interference. The Stinger and Arc amps have been known to interfere less with reception. When I had a SoundStream amp on top of my head unit I only got one station clearly. I switched to an Arc Moto 600.4 amp and got a few more.
Since you know it was working better before I would check the continuity of your antenna wire with an ohm meter to see if the center conductor has opened up. I had that happen on my 2010 Ultra once. I just grabbed a universal antenna wire from an auto parts store and ran it along side the stock wire and plugged it up. The reception definitely got better. To test my theory before running the wire I got a cheap universal antenna for a truck and plugged it into the head unit. The reception improved so I then ran the replacement wire.
Also if you have a spare antenna handy you could try swapping it out as well. I suppose it is possible if it is one of the newer fiberglass antennas maybe if it got whacked it could have broken the center conductor. I live in a rural area so I had to go with the older style steel whip antennas just to get the three or four clear stations that I get. Shorter antennas don't tend to grab as much signal.
Good luck.
Since you know it was working better before I would check the continuity of your antenna wire with an ohm meter to see if the center conductor has opened up. I had that happen on my 2010 Ultra once. I just grabbed a universal antenna wire from an auto parts store and ran it along side the stock wire and plugged it up. The reception definitely got better. To test my theory before running the wire I got a cheap universal antenna for a truck and plugged it into the head unit. The reception improved so I then ran the replacement wire.
Also if you have a spare antenna handy you could try swapping it out as well. I suppose it is possible if it is one of the newer fiberglass antennas maybe if it got whacked it could have broken the center conductor. I live in a rural area so I had to go with the older style steel whip antennas just to get the three or four clear stations that I get. Shorter antennas don't tend to grab as much signal.
Good luck.
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 895
Likes: 306
From: se wi
Thanks for the reply. It has a shorty antenna on it and in the driveway I took it off and the radio defenitly went out, back on the reception was better. It didn't matter what station I tuned it to it would start out ok then you could hear static but still hear the music, just like the signal was weak but never completely went out. I am going to take the fairing off this weekend and check it out. Maybe a new antenna wire is what I need.
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 1,354
Likes: 399
From: Vancouver, BC
Does the noise happen with the motor running as well as when it's turned off? Just with FM or any other radio band or source? I would still try swapping the antenna as I've seen them degrade but still offer some reception (not seen this with a shorty or whip but I've seen it before). Also check your grounds on the amp and radio. The fact it starts out ok and then degrades sounds like the FM receiver might be starting to fail.
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 895
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From: se wi
It was static in the driveway without the engine running. She plugged her phone into it today for the ride to and from work. She said the sound was much better with the phone connected than with the FM but she also said that when she hit a hard bump the sound would fade and then go back to normal.
We sent the radio to iron cross three or four years ago cause it would stop producing sound all together so I am thinking the radio might be starting to go bad again. I am going to take the fairing off and check everything out this weekend but I think a new radio might be in her future. Kinda looking at the aquatics or Rockford radio cause she doesn't like the look of the smaller aftermarket radio in the spot and that those two are waterproof cause she also doesn't like the plastic rain covers for the aftermarket radios.
We sent the radio to iron cross three or four years ago cause it would stop producing sound all together so I am thinking the radio might be starting to go bad again. I am going to take the fairing off and check everything out this weekend but I think a new radio might be in her future. Kinda looking at the aquatics or Rockford radio cause she doesn't like the look of the smaller aftermarket radio in the spot and that those two are waterproof cause she also doesn't like the plastic rain covers for the aftermarket radios.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,716
Likes: 919
From: Southern Virginia
Sounds like good plan Kevin. I remember when the Rockford head unit came out I looked at the specs and found that it has a pretty sensitive FM tuner, just as good as most Sony's or Kenwoods. I looked at the Aquatics AV unit and could not find their FM sensitivity rating listed anywhere. To me that sounded suspicious, almost like they didn't want you to know. If you like the Aquatics unit better based on specs and function maybe you could email them and as them for the FM sensitivity rating in dbf.
The only thing I don't like about the Rockford unit is it only has one USB port. It does however have an AUX input (RCA plugs on the back that they sell a panel mount for that has USB and 3.5mm plugs on). The high dollar Aquatics AV unit appears on the surface to have two USB connections, but the one coming out of the rear of the unit is for charging only. The one that will work with data is INSIDE the dang head unit, meaning you would have to have a very small phone without a case for it to fit in there and have the door close. I think the Aquatics unit is an older design made when phones were smaller. Also I don't like the idea that the face plate is removable. That could lead to someone malicious just taking the thing off and walking away with it.
Good luck.
The only thing I don't like about the Rockford unit is it only has one USB port. It does however have an AUX input (RCA plugs on the back that they sell a panel mount for that has USB and 3.5mm plugs on). The high dollar Aquatics AV unit appears on the surface to have two USB connections, but the one coming out of the rear of the unit is for charging only. The one that will work with data is INSIDE the dang head unit, meaning you would have to have a very small phone without a case for it to fit in there and have the door close. I think the Aquatics unit is an older design made when phones were smaller. Also I don't like the idea that the face plate is removable. That could lead to someone malicious just taking the thing off and walking away with it.
Good luck.
Trending Topics
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,879
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From: East Coast, USA
1. Automatic Volume Control (AVC)
2. Weather Band (WB). Not sure why they didn't include the WB since their marine source units have it.
3. A second AUX port. Along with the second AUX port, I'd like to see this port have the ability when it picks up a signal, to temporarily disable any other source and play the source on this port. When the signal is gone, the original source is turned on again. The purpose for this is I'd like to mimic the way the original HD system works when you have/use a CB. I'd like to be able to connect a portable CB to this second AUX port. When it picks up a communication, it allows it to go through.
I have my Garmin 595 GPS connected to the first AUX port and a 32GB flash drive loaded with music inserted into the USB port.
The Garmin 595 also has a flash drive installed loaded with music.
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Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 895
Likes: 306
From: se wi
So the static was feed back from some lights I put on, I ran the wires for the lights along the antenna and was I rerouted them the radio was static free. However I did take it for a ride with an iPod hooked up and every time I hit a bump the sound would cut out for a second and come back. Everything is tight and no loose connections to anything. So I think a new radio is in the near future. Look out do you have a picture of the Rockford in the dash? The pictures on rockfords website aren't the greatest.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: East Coast, USA
Last edited by LQQK_OUT; Aug 18, 2020 at 12:23 AM.