Interesting problem...

Here is an interesting situation…
I installed a USASPEC in my 08 two weeks ago. I have a whining noise that comes through when I am using the RCA input for my sat radio that gets louder and softer with the volume. At first I thought it was the radio but yesterday I noticed that the whine changes pitch as the gas pedal is depressed. More gas, higher pitch…let off on the gas, lower pitch. I have not tried to get a hold of USASPEC yet but I thought I would ask around to see what others had to say. It also happens on cruise control when the truck accelerates /decelerates to maintain speed.
Thanks,
Kris

 

Sounds like you have a case of alternator whine.

Basically, your RCA input is either touching/crossing a power cable, or it is running parallel to one (side by side).

You amp takes the signal from the RCA and then amplifies whatever it gets. In your case, in addition to the radio signal, your amp is also getting the sine wave from the alternator through the power cables via electromagnetic emissions. So when your alternator goes faster as you increase engine RPM's, so does the pitch of that whine. And when you turn up the volume, you are just making it so you can hear it louder.

So you will need to follow your RCA cable to see where this is happening and then re-run it around the power cable(s). All installers tend to run the power cables along one side of the car and the signal and speaker wires along the other side just to be sure.

 

Thanks,

I like where my radio is located, do you think there is a way to shield it, or just buy a shielded cable if they make such a thing. The power for the sat radio is running along the RCA cable for about 1 foot up the dash. I guess this is where my problem is but I don't have too many options for running cable unless I move the SAT radio from the drivers side windsheild corner to the middle.

 

Read THIS.

 

Sorry, your link dosen't work.

I pulled the RCA cable out from the power cable but it still does it. My wife's sat radio in her RAV is wired the same way and there is no whine but she is using a factory AUX input not a USASPEC.

 

Does too.

 

Link worked for me