I am a DCS user only. No TMCC or anything else.

I also like to listen to Classical music while in the train room. However when I turn on my Z-4000s and TIUs, the FM radio station becomes full of static and I have to turn the radio off.

Is there any solution to this problem? Anyone know why this is happening? Is it noise on the electrical line?

Chessie

Do you have a good grounded outlet.

Are you also powering up a bunch of post wars stuff? If so you may want to power section down and see if the Z-4000 is just turning on the offender.

I'm used to AM messing up but not FM.

Can you remote the FM antenna, I have a whip on my reciever to strenthen the signal to my reciever because the signal was boarder line in the basement. The whip helped gain signal. I just don't remember loosing signal because of my trains. I had a cell phone charger that kills FM in my car. I got a new charger.

Jamie

quote:

I also like to listen to Classical music while in the train room. However when I turn on my Z-4000s and TIUs, the FM radio station becomes full of static and I have to turn the radio off.

I believe it's the tiu causing the static, It's not too bad on some FM stations here, AM is much worse, I can actually hear the watch dog signal going out and commands if the station is on AM. I tired another outlet with an extension cord, same thing. I don't what the fix is.

Yes, I think it is the TIUs as well, but I really wish there was some cure for this other than to just listen to CDs.

I never noticed any interference but now that it is mentioned our sheet metal air ducts are between my TIU and the FM antenna. The antenna is on the radio stations transmitter side of the ducts.

Rand

Chessie, Is there any way to move the radio further away from the layout? If the radio uses an external antenna, I'd suggest using one. Place it as far away from the layout as you can get it. Failing that, Try putting the radio in another room and running wire to the speakers from there--. You might also try a metal shield between the radio and the TIU---

Hope this helps--

Thanks for all the advice. I have been away for a few days (Boy Scout Summer Camp) and I am now just getting to read some of your responses.

Since my layout is the one room above my garage, there is no other room that I could put the radio in. However I guess it is possible to run an antenna outside. I will give that a try. However, I do suspect the electrical outlets may be a source of noise. I could try running an extension cord from the house out to the train room and see if it makes a difference.

Thanks again for your suggestions. Now for the next issue... removing all the smoke that builds up when I run several engines at the same time ...

Or, place the radio where it plays the best and run a wire to another speaker in the train room. Can switch the radio speaker off if in a place where others do not want to listen.