Analogue radio – FM reception

Hissing or fading means the signal reaching your radio is not strong enough.

• Use our reception problems tool to see if your local transmitter is currently being affected by maintenance work.
• If you have a portable radio with a telescopic aerial, make sure it is fully extended. Tilt and swivel the aerial until you get the best signal.
• Try moving the radio to another position, such as near a window, higher up or in another room.
• If your FM tuner is part of a hi-fi system, make sure you have connected the wire or ribbon cable aerial supplied. Consult your system's manual for details.
• Stereo needs a stronger signal than mono, so if you get hiss when listening to stereo, try switching to mono.

If there is still no improvement, you may need a separate aerial (as long as your radio has an aerial socket). You could use an indoor aerial, or have an aerial installed on the roof or outside of the house, or in the loft. See Radio aerials for more information.

This is caused by what is known as multipath distortion. It happens because signals from the transmitter travel by more than one path to your radio: one signal is reflected off tall buildings or hills and arrives a moment later than the direct signal, causing interference. Things to try:

• If you are using a portable radio, move it around the room.
• Tune to another frequency for the same station.
• Use a directional rooftop aerial that picks up only the direct signal from the transmitter.

These annoying sounds (sometimes called 'birdies') are usually caused by another station transmitting on a frequency very close to the station you are listening to.

• A separate aerial, preferably a directional rooftop aerial, may reduce the interference.

Twittering noises can also be caused by high air pressure, which brings fine weather and also allows FM signals to travel further than normal. You may also get interference from strong foreign stations. There is nothing you can do about this - reception will only improve when the weather changes.

If you are very close to a transmitter, noises or distortion may be caused by a very strong signal. Things to try:

• If you have a portable radio, partly close the telescopic aerial.
• If you have a hi-fi system, you can plug a device called an attenuator (available from electrical shops) into the tuner's aerial socket.

Bursts of buzzing or regular clicks are often caused by interference from something powered by electricity, such as a domestic appliance or a faulty fridge or central heating thermostat. If you are not sure what is causing the interference, leave the radio on and try switching off or disconnecting your appliances one at a time to see if there is an improvement. Also check the radio in case it has a loose aerial connection or mains lead.

For general information about pirate radio and to check if you are in the coverage area of the station you are trying to receive: http://ask.ofcom.org.uk/help/radio/pirates

To report a problem with pirate radio interference: https://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/tell-us/pirate-radio-listeners-report

If you listen to FM radio while travelling around the country, you may often need to retune your radio to another frequency for the same station. Many car radios have RDS (Radio Data System), which automatically tunes to the strongest FM signal, so you don't need to retune the radio manually. RDS can also be set to detect BBC local radio travel news.

If you get interference in the form of crackling or whining, it may be caused by the ignition or other electrical systems such as the heater or wipers.