Static on the radio

[hatchsub]

Hey guys. I have an aftermarket stereo in my EA81 sedan. All new speakers and headunit. Sounds amazing as long as its a CD playing but when i go to the radio i get static no matter what station..even the ones that normally dont have static. The antenna wire is firmly in place in the back of the headunit. Could this be a possible grounding problem with the antenna? If so where is the ground located for the antenna? It hasnt really bugged me too much until recently.

[carfreak85]

If you're using the original factory antenna, you might think about replacing it. The wire to the head unit may have corroded internally.

[86subaru]

if i remember there is a black ground wire close to the passanger side ,around the coil , isn't that a radio ground

[thealleyboy]

Very likely that it is a grounding issue. Only problem is if it is the antenna, a new one might not get good contact either. The area where the antenna mounts is prone to corrosion, and the mounting screw may not be making good contact with metal.

You can troubleshoot this by connecting an alligator clip with a length of wire to the antenna socket on the radio, and then grounding the other end to the chassis. If the static goes away, you can simply run a dedicated wire from the radio unit to chassis ground.

If your reception is not strong, you'll have no choice but to replace the antenna with an OEM - or better yet, an aftermarket. The aftermarket gives you the option of choosing your own mounting location.

good luck, John