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Post new topic Ham Radio, Cb, Or Short Wave Coming Through My Amp!
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Author Topic:  Ham Radio, Cb, Or Short Wave Coming Through My Amp!
John Drury


From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
Post  Posted 6 Mar 2021 8:39 am    
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Any of you ever had a problem with radio interference coming through their system?

I just set this up and can't stop radio signals from coming through my amp.

All new (to me) equipment. There is something about this combination, no other guitar/amp combination of equipment that I have does this.

Carter SD-10 W/ George L's 10-1 pickup
Fender DeLuxe 112+ amp
George L's Cabling
Hi-Gain volume pedal
Boss RV-3

Signal from radio equipment is unaffected by amp controls, volume, tone, etc..

This setup sounds so good together, I hope there is a fix for this.

Thanks for any input y'all may have on this.
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John Drury
NTSGA #3

"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr
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Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 6 Mar 2021 8:50 am    
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First thing is to isolate where its coming from. Disconnect from the amp (just the amp itself powered on) and see if you still get it. If not, work back to the guitar, one item at a time. Start by connecting the guitar cable to the amp, if OK connect the next item (RV-3) if OK connect input cable to RV-3. If OK connect cable to Volume Pedal output. If OK connect the cable to the VP input. If OK connect cable to Guitar.

Somewhere in the chain you will find where its at. I suspect the amp. If it is the amp, disconnect the reverb cables and see if it stops. Unshielded reverb pans have been a known source of the problem.
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John Drury


From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
Post  Posted 6 Mar 2021 10:54 am    
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Jack,

Thanks for that info! It does have an unshielded reverb pan, I will unplug it as I am using an RV-3 anyway and see if this happens again.

The reverb on the Deluxe 112 + is pretty bad, otherwise, this is maybe the most under rated steel amp there is in my opinion. Craigslist - 100 bucks!

Thanks again Jack!
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John Drury
NTSGA #3

"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr
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Bill Hatcher

 

From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
Post  Posted 6 Mar 2021 11:47 am    
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take the cable plugged into your guitar and make a couple of loops on the floor next to you. if the RF frequencies are coming in at your guitar then the loop will either diminish or cancel out the RF. done this plenty of times when playing gigs close to radio towers.
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John Drury


From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
Post  Posted 6 Mar 2021 7:42 pm    
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Bill Hatcher wrote:
take the cable plugged into your guitar and make a couple of loops on the floor next to you. if the RF frequencies are coming in at your guitar then the loop will either diminish or cancel out the RF. done this plenty of times when playing gigs close to radio towers.


Bill,

I unplugged the reverb tank and taped the leads, noise is gone. Thanks for the response.

John
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John Drury
NTSGA #3

"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr
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Ron Frederiksen


From:
Van Buren, Arkansas, USA
Post  Posted 6 Mar 2021 7:58 pm    
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I have some noise suppressor's that work real well too. Works good under florcent light's too !! . We played next to a fire station and it got rid of the radio calls..
$35.00 + 8.00 shipping..
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Adam Tracksler


From:
Maine, USA
Post  Posted 7 Mar 2021 5:01 am    
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Are you sure you’re not playing with Spinal Tap?

[url] https://youtu.be/IpTNoq2np_4[/url]
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Dennis Detweiler


From:
Solon, Iowa, US
Post  Posted 7 Mar 2021 5:54 am    
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I've changed the length of my guitar cable and eliminated radio interference.
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1976 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics 427 pickup, 1975 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics X-12 pickup, Revelation preamp, Carbon Copy Delay and Hall Of Fame Reverb, Crown XLS 1002, 2- 15" Eminence Wheelhouse speakers, ShoBud Pedal, Effects Pedals. 1949 Epiphone D-8.
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Jim Kennedy

 

From:
Brentwood California, USA
Post  Posted 7 Mar 2021 8:06 am    
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Using an unshielded cable, like a speaker cable, instead of a shielded instrument cable can also cause this. Same with cheap instrument cables with lousy shielding.
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ShoBud Pro 1, 75 Tele, 85 Yamaha SA 2000, Fender Cybertwin,
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John Drury


From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
Post  Posted 8 Mar 2021 12:29 pm    
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Adam Tracksler wrote:
Are you sure you’re not playing with Spinal Tap?

[url] https://youtu.be/IpTNoq2np_4[/url]


No, I turned that gig down.
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John Drury
NTSGA #3

"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr
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John Drury


From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
Post  Posted 8 Mar 2021 12:30 pm    
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Ron Frederiksen wrote:
I have some noise suppressor's that work real well too. Works good under florcent light's too !! . We played next to a fire station and it got rid of the radio calls..
$35.00 + 8.00 shipping..


Aha! There is a fire station about 350 yards from my house!
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John Drury
NTSGA #3

"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr
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John Drury


From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
Post  Posted 8 Mar 2021 12:32 pm    
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Jim Kennedy wrote:
Using an unshielded cable, like a speaker cable, instead of a shielded instrument cable can also cause this. Same with cheap instrument cables with lousy shielding.


That wasn't it, I don't use cheap cables, nothing but the best.

Problem is gone since I unhooked the amp reverb.
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John Drury
NTSGA #3

"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr
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Jim Kennedy

 

From:
Brentwood California, USA
Post  Posted 8 Mar 2021 1:26 pm    
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If this is a new problem, something has gone south in your reverb tank circuit, probably a ground to the tank itself, or the cables. You might try cleaning the connections, especially if they appear even slightly tarnished. Even a little oxidation can be enough to screw things up. If that doesn't work,try changing the cables if you can. I would suspect a problem there first, given they are now disconnected. RF frequencies usually interfere because of strength and proximity of the signal, you mentioned being close to a fire station, there is some kind of ground issue, or the amp is just poorly shielded. Hope this helps.
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ShoBud Pro 1, 75 Tele, 85 Yamaha SA 2000, Fender Cybertwin,
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Chris Lucker

 

From:
Los Angeles, California USA
Post  Posted 8 Mar 2021 4:19 pm     Re: Ham Radio, Cb, Or Short Wave Coming Through My Amp!
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John Drury wrote:
Any of you ever had a problem with radio interference coming through their system?

I just set this up and can't stop radio signals from coming through my amp.


This would have been a dream come true on Gilligan's Island.
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Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars.
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John Drury


From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
Post  Posted 12 Mar 2021 9:25 am    
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Dennis Detweiler wrote:
I've changed the length of my guitar cable and eliminated radio interference.


Cables are the same George L's 3 foot and 9 foot that I have always used, that wasn't it.

I pulled the reverb and the problem went away.

The reverb on a Fender DeLuxe 112+ is awful anyway, I tossed it in the trash where it belongs. I use a Boss RV-3 and it sounds great.

The old DeLuxe 112 + is a very underrated amp! Yard sale 100 bucks! I think these were made in the late 80's, early 90's? Blue Label Secial Design speaker. Eminence? Nice steel amp!

Pots were scratchy, brought it home and blew it out with CRC, totally cured it!

Clean channel is sanitary! Dirty channel is filthy dirty! I use it with my lap steels a lot.


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John Drury
NTSGA #3

"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr
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John Drury


From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
Post  Posted 12 Mar 2021 10:10 am     Re: Ham Radio, Cb, Or Short Wave Coming Through My Amp!
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Chris Lucker wrote:
John Drury wrote:
Any of you ever had a problem with radio interference coming through their system?

I just set this up and can't stop radio signals from coming through my amp.


This would have been a dream come true on Gilligan's Island.


Chris,

I was once told that Russell Johnson (Professor on Gilligans Island) was a steel player. This definitely would have been his dream amp! Ha!
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John Drury
NTSGA #3

"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr
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George Biner


From:
Los Angeles, CA
Post  Posted 12 Mar 2021 10:35 am    
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I don't think you can have an "unshielded" reverb tank -- the are shielded on all sides but the bottom, and there there is usually a foil plane on the surface it is mounted to. Best of luck.
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Guacamole Mafia - acoustic harmony duo
Electrical engineer / amp tech in West Los Angeles -- I fix Peaveys
"Now there is a snappy sounding instrument. That f****r really sings." - Jerry Garcia
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David Ball


From:
North Carolina High Country
Post  Posted 12 Mar 2021 11:20 am    
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Years ago, my parents' church was located just a few hundred feet off an Interstate highway. One Sunday, there was some kind of bad connection to the preacher's mike and as he finished up a prayer with "Amen," "that's a big 10-4 good buddy" came through the PA from a nearby trucker. Everybody in the congregation snickered, the preacher did as well.



Dave
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