Radio interference

[Rondo]

First of all apologises because I posted this in the Fiesta section, forgetting all about the dedicated 'Audio & Electronics' section which may be better suited....

I have a 2011 Fiesta 1.4 Zetec auto, only had it a few weeks, discovered over the weekend that my sat nav interferes with the radio reception when it's plug in. Also I have two dash cams my old one works just fine, but my new one also interferes with radio reception.

when I say interferes I don't mean a slight crackle or hiss, I mean it renders the radio virtually useless! 

I should add that when I swapped the cigar plug lead that came with the dash cam for another one I had lying around, the interference was considerablely less - almost non-existent. However using that lead on the sat nav made no difference. Also, if I hold the sat nav away from the cars centre console, the interference is considerably lessened to non-existent, but made no difference moving the dash cam

Without getting too technical, is there anything obvious in can do?

[Stoney871]

Try clipping some ferrite cores to the cables, they help to reduce interference.

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[Rondo]

Thanks Clive, I've tried that.

i noticed a new oddity tonight. If I take my dash cam and position it on the screen directly in front of me (chaps with blue lights won't like that!) it's fine, even with the lead stretching over the top of the radio. Move it back, and it's all hiss and crackle.

to me that suggests it's the actual dash cam that's the problem, yet if I swap out the charge lead it works perfectly no matter where the cam is positioned

weird or wot?

[Stoney871]

Dash cam wiring can cauae interference for some reason.
I find that if I leave my camera on with the car locked then my keyfree unlocking doesn't work properly.
On my previous mk2 Focus the rcl key range was drastically reduced as well.

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[Rondo]

With just about everything going electronic and frequently wireless, it's about time some bright spark sorted these oddities. I googled the problem and found hundreds of people having the same problem and of one person who, like you, left his camera on motion detect only when he returned he was unable to unlock his door!

[Micro]

All electronic devices give off some EM interference.

Unfortunately the frequencies of this interference given off by GPS receivers and dash cams seems to be just right to disturb DAB and other signals. Ferrites, other leads (maybe the bad power lead is not shielded, or is but only at the camera end, basically acting like a large antenna) may help, but ultimately it might just have to be another camera.

Is it a branded Sat Nav or a chinese cheapie?