2004 Mazda RX-8 Owners Manual - MyMazda

J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 11 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PMInterior ComfortAudio SystemSignals from an FM transmitter aresimilar to beams of light because they donot bend around corners, but they doreflect. Unlike AM signals, FM signalscannot travel beyond the horizon.Therefore, FM stations cannot be receivedat the great distances possible with AMreception.Flutter/Skip noiseSignals from an FM transmitter move instraight lines and become weak in valleysbetween tall buildings, mountains, andother obstacles. When a vehicle passesthrough such an area, the receptionconditions may change suddenly,resulting in annoying noise.IonosphereFM waveAM waveFM wave100—200 km (60—120 miles)Atmospheric conditions can also affectFM reception. High humidity will causepoor reception. However, cloudy daysmay provide better reception than cleardays.Multipath noiseSince FM signals can be reflected byobstructions, it is possible to receive boththe direct signal and the reflected signal atthe same time. This causes a slight delayin reception and may be heard as a brokensound or a distortion. This problem mayalso be encountered when in closeproximity to the transmitter.Weak signal noiseIn suburban areas, broadcast signalsbecome weak because of distance fromthe transmitter. Reception in such fringeareas is characterized by sound breakup.DirectReflected wave6-11Form No. 8R65-EA-03C