Car AM/FM radio local/distant (Dx) switch in old vehicles

[AG5T]

I remember many years ago that I saw some cars that had am/fm radios and they had a local/distant or local/dx switch. Does anyone know what that really did? How did it work? Why don't today's cars and trucks have a switch like that? I have a 99 expedition and it's terrible on am reception. It whines when I accelerate the car. FM is ok, but the cd player eats cds!

[K6LCS]

>> ... had a local/distant or local/dx switch. Does anyone know what that really did?

I thought it was just an attenuation switch ...

>> ... I have a 99 expedition and it's terrible on am reception. It whines when I accelerate the car ...

Inferior spark plugs ... noisy alternators ... all sorts of problems may be in play.

>> ... FM is ok, but the cd player eats cds!

Then replace it!

Clint K6LCS

[AG5T]

Attenuation was the word I was looking for and yes I do hope to replace the radio. Wish I could get one that had am/fm/2 meter/440/shortwave/sirius and all - seriously, do hope to replace.

[KG4NEL]

Attenuation was the word I was looking for and yes I do hope to replace the radio. Wish I could get one that had am/fm/2 meter/440/shortwave/sirius and all - seriously, do hope to replace.

Something like a IC-7000 or 706MKIIG covers all those bases except satellite radio 

[K2OWK]

Old radios with AM/FM had poor auto RF gain function (if any) the local/distance switch was an attenuator that attenuated local strong signals to keep the receiver front end from overloading and to keep week signals from interfearing with strong ones (AM). Distance selection allowed the RF gain to run wide open so that week signals could be heard.

Hope this helps.

73s

K2OWK

[SWMAN]

I remember I had a local/distant switch on my old Pioneer Supertuner, if anyone remembers thoes, and the switch didnt seem to do anything at all.

[K1CJS]

To my recollection, that switch was left in the 'distant' position unless a local station was really overloading the receiver and attenuation was needed to make the receiver act normally.