# Uhh.. My radio.. Uhh.. Huh? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 16, 2003, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uhh-my-radio-uhh-huh/213486 "2003-11-16T01:46:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gadfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uhh-my-radio-uhh-huh/213486/1 "2003-11-16T01:46:20Z")
My radio does… Funny things. It tends to turn on by itself. I’m not going to go into that, though. The sound tends to get staticky all of the sudden, but it’s alleviated by me putting my hand on the radio. **How?** Don’t tell me it’s a coincedence. I’ve owned this clock radio for four years, and this is a daily occurence. If I take my hand off quickly, it snaps back to poor sound quality again. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uhh-my-radio-uhh-huh/213486/2 "2003-11-16T01:52:10Z")
The human body makes a decent antenna. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uhh-my-radio-uhh-huh/213486/3 "2003-11-16T01:54:02Z")
Sounds like it’s using you as an antenna, Gadfly. Parts of you must oscillate at the right frequency. Or, since it appears to be able to turn itself on…it’s possessed. Take your pick. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uhh-my-radio-uhh-huh/213486/4 "2003-11-16T01:58:29Z")
Hmm… a _clock radio_… turns on _by itself_ on a _regular daily basis_. Damn… that’s a stumper! ---
**Author:** ![Gadfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uhh-my-radio-uhh-huh/213486/5 "2003-11-16T02:06:30Z")
I mean… When the alarm isn’t set. The antenna theory kinda works. Kinda. ---
**Author:** ![cdhostage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@cdhostage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cdhostage)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uhh-my-radio-uhh-huh/213486/6 "2003-11-16T02:19:53Z")
Turns itslef on . Defnitely posessed. It’s definitely posessed. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uhh-my-radio-uhh-huh/213486/7 "2003-11-16T02:25:51Z")
Wadda you mean “kinda?” It’s not a theory at all. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uhh-my-radio-uhh-huh/213486/8 "2003-11-16T02:37:07Z")
Possibly some deffective components, cold soldered joints, etc. etc. I have a tuner amplifier that has a bad rely or push button selector switch with bad contacts. When used a a tuner it has to be slapped or jarred to get sound to the speakers. Cant get to contacts as the assembly is soldered in place. When all else fails, including questions to SDMB, read the instruction book. Is “Music On” set? ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uhh-my-radio-uhh-huh/213486/9 "2003-11-16T12:56:13Z")
Unfortunately, **Gadfly,** your clock radio’s Buy A New Radio circuit has kicked in. It’s kaput. Fried. Useless. An ex-radio. ---
**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uhh-my-radio-uhh-huh/213486/10 "2003-11-16T15:18:54Z")
To clear up the reception, try re-orienting the cord, if the plug isn’t polarized you might try to reverse it in the wall outlet. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uhh-my-radio-uhh-huh/213486/11 "2003-11-16T16:19:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gadfly \* > \*\*The antenna theory kinda works. Kinda. \*\* As **friedo** said, it’s not a theory at all. It’s a very common and well-known effect. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uhh-my-radio-uhh-huh/213486/12 "2003-11-16T17:32:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Revtim \* > \*\*As **friedo** said, it’s not a theory at all. It’s a very common and well-known effect. \*\* Oh yeah? Then how come I can’t hear music when I open my mouth? Huh? Can’t explain _that_ one, now can ya? ---
**Author:** ![Matchka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Matchka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Matchka)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uhh-my-radio-uhh-huh/213486/13 "2003-11-16T19:08:36Z")
Ya got no transistors ya big silly! ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uhh-my-radio-uhh-huh/213486/14 "2003-11-16T19:46:27Z")
Plus, you’re not Gilligan. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uhh-my-radio-uhh-huh/213486/15 "2003-11-16T20:46:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Matchka \* > \*\*Ya got no transistors ya big silly! \*\* Leave my sisters outta this!