BTech 50V-2 GMRS Radio "Alternator Whine" Noise. (Other words: When PPT pressed, weird noise appears when pressed and no one can hear me that well)

[PeterM]

Hey everyone!

So for some context, I managed to contact someone on a repeater last night on my mobile radio (BTech 50V-2 GMRS Radio) and the guy I managed to contact responded by saying that he can barely hear me and that there's this "whine" coming from my end. Said that it can be an "Alternator Whine". I tested it on my handheld, and he was correct: there is some sort of weird whine every time I transmit on my radio (and plz don't roast me on my choice of mobile radio. I like the radio and I think that radio is cool and it was the best one I could afford, I just need help getting it back to "normal"). I switched to my hand held radio to talk to him, and he recommended the ferrite chokes for it.

Do you have any other tips?

If I did get the ferrite chokes, how would I be able to apply them to the radio?

(If needed, I can record a video and send it here for some more context.)

Thanks!

EDIT 1: Turns out it was the mic, thanks everyone for the advice!!

Edited September 25 by PeterM

[SteveShannon]

6 hours ago, PeterM said:

Hey everyone!

So for some context, I managed to contact someone on a repeater last night on my mobile radio (BTech 50V-2 GMRS Radio) and the guy I managed to contact responded by saying that he can barely hear me and that there's this "whine" coming from my end. Said that it can be an "Alternator Whine". I tested it on my handheld, and he was correct: there is some sort of weird whine every time I transmit on my radio (and plz don't roast me on my choice of mobile radio. I like the radio and I think that radio is cool and it was the best one I could afford, I just need help getting it back to "normal"). I switched to my hand held radio to talk to him, and he recommended the ferrite chokes for it.

Do you have any other tips?

If I did get the ferrite chokes, how would I be able to apply them to the radio?

(If needed, I can record a video and send it here for some more context.)

Thanks!

Does the whine still occur when the engine is shut off?  If so then it isn’t the alternator.

Does the whine change as the engine rpm is changed? If not, it might not be the alternator.

Vehicles have other sources of RFI.  Do you have LED or some kind of high energy lights, especially aftermarket ones?  They have been known to cause interference.

Ferrite chokes can be applied in a couple different ways.  There are clamshell chokes that can be snapped around your power cable right where it enters the radio.  Or a person can loop their power cable through a toroid.

[WRYZ926]

Connecting the positive radio wire directly to the positive battery terminal and the negative radio wire to chassis ground is the best option.

I get a whine on a rare occasion in my 2023 Ford Escape. I use to get it more often before installing clamp on ferrites and also redoing my ground wires from the radios. I put small clamp on ferrites on the positive and negative wires to both radios. I also put two ferrites on the cable connecting my alternator to the battery, one on each end of the cable. Make sure to tape up the clamp on ferrites with a good electrical tape so they won't fall off.

Another thing you can try is run an extra ground wire/strap directly from the alternator to a good chassis ground.

Also double check your coax cable where it comes inside the cabin. You want to make sure it isn't getting pinched.

Modern vehicles can be noisy due to all the computers and LED lights. Aftermarket LED lights can be worse than OEM LED lights.

[Socalgmrs]

Run BOTH wires directly to the battery.  Should solve the problem. If not post what car and year  you’re working with.   I’ve installed literally 1000s of cb, gmrs, ham and car audio radios in my life and I’ve never had a single one that if I run to the battery it didn’t work correctly.   Also what antenna are you running and how is it set up?   And dont fret about the radio I have a few and they work and transmit just as good as a kg1000 or any other 50w radio. Any one that says different has no clue. 

[SteveShannon]

Just now, PeterM said:

The whine is there when the engine is on or off.
The whine does not change (I believe, gotta check)
I do not have any LED in my car

If it’s there when your engine is off it’s impossible to be the alternator. 

[SteveShannon]

20 minutes ago, PeterM said:

I kinda assumed that when I turned off my car when the guy said "you have some type of alternator whine". 
But I do know that my mobile radio has some weird background noise, even if I turn of the car. 

Are you always parked in the same place when you use your radio?  If so, try somewhere else.

[BoxCar]

It can also be your microphone. If its an electret (powered) mic, the whine can come from the mic element itself. This sounds like a better scenario as it happens with the engine off.

[amaff]

6 minutes ago, BoxCar said:

It can also be your microphone. If its an electret (powered) mic, the whine can come from the mic element itself. This sounds like a better scenario as it happens with the engine off.

Came here to write exactly that suggestion. Disconnect / reconnect the mic (or wiggle it) and see if there's something weird there. I'm really not a fan of the RJ-45 Mic connection that so many radios have (including my DB20-G)

[LeeBo]

Stupid question, but does it happen on other frequencies?

I had a very similar issue that I was convinced was "alternator whine", but further testing revealed the "whine" stopped after I left the parking lot at work, and also didn't happen on other frequencies.

Just a thought.

[SteveShannon]

55 minutes ago, PeterM said:

I'll have to check it out tomorrow morning, hopefully it works! 

It might just be the radio.  Get the manufacturer to send you a replacement.

[piggin]

Try connecting as directly to the battery as possible. Under high current demand the radio may and indeed will be modulated by noise (IE whine).

 Chokes can help a bit but nothing beats a direct battery connection, IMHO YMMV.

 

 Sorry you are having trouble. You are not the first and won't be the last. In fact this problem is SO common it should be stickied if a "perfect" solution is posted.

[PeterM]

6 hours ago, SteveShannon said:

"Does the whine still occur when the engine is shut off?  If so then it isn’t the alternator.

Does the whine change as the engine rpm is changed? If not, it might not be the alternator.

Vehicles have other sources of RFI.  Do you have LED or some kind of high energy lights, especially aftermarket ones?  They have been known to cause interference."

The whine is there when the engine is on or off.
The whine does not change (I believe, gotta check)
I do not have any LED in my car

[PeterM]

2 hours ago, WRXP381 said:

Run BOTH wires directly to the battery.  Should solve the problem. If not post what car and year  you’re working with.   I’ve installed literally 1000s of cb, gmrs, ham and car audio radios in my life and I’ve never had a single one that if I run to the battery it didn’t work correctly.   Also what antenna are you running and how is it set up?   And dont fret about the radio I have a few and they work and transmit just as good as a kg1000 or any other 50w radio. Any one that says different has no clue. 

The wires are connected to my battery
I use a 2011 Nissan Altima.
The antenna I use is this one right here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09TPZ221K?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

The antenna is placed on my trunk

[PeterM]

3 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

If it’s there when your engine is off it’s impossible to be the alternator. 

I kinda assumed that when I turned off my car when the guy said "you have some type of alternator whine". 
But I do know that my mobile radio has some weird background noise, even if I turn of the car. 

[PeterM]

10 hours ago, SteveShannon said:

Are you always parked in the same place when you use your radio?  If so, try somewhere else.

No, it's different places each time. 

[PeterM]

4 hours ago, LeeBo said:

Stupid question, but does it happen on other frequencies?

I had a very similar issue that I was convinced was "alternator whine", but further testing revealed the "whine" stopped after I left the parking lot at work, and also didn't happen on other frequencies.

Just a thought.

It's not a stupid question, lol.
Its on all frequencies.

[PeterM]

7 hours ago, amaff said:

Came here to write exactly that suggestion. Disconnect / reconnect the mic (or wiggle it) and see if there's something weird there. I'm really not a fan of the RJ-45 Mic connection that so many radios have (including my DB20-G)

I was thinking that it might be the mic itself. I'll unplug and plug it back in.

[PeterM]

8 hours ago, BoxCar said:

It can also be your microphone. If its an electret (powered) mic, the whine can come from the mic element itself. This sounds like a better scenario as it happens with the engine off.

I'll have to check it out tomorrow morning, hopefully it works!