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    I was wondering if you would know why my radio cuts out in tunnels?

    I was wondering if you would know why my radio cuts out in tunnels?

    Answered by CarsGuide
    2 August 2022
    David Morley

    All radio waves have trouble being picked up by your car’s radio inside a tunnel. The longer the tunnel the worse the problem. The solution is for the tunnel builder to incorporate a broadcasting system within the tunnel so that the signal is broadcast through the tunnel and not lost as you enter it.

    At the moment, many tunnels feature AM and FM broadcasting systems which can also be used to over-ride the commercial and external signals to provide important safety updates on traffic and road conditions inside the tunnel.

    The odd one out right now is digital radio which is not widely broadcast inside tunnels. The NSW government has identified the dangers in not being able to broadcast safety information to digital radio users, so from 2018, all new tunnels in that state must have digital broadcasting systems installed.

    Generally speaking, FM radio works better in tunnels than digital due to the shorter and higher-energy wavelength of FM. The longer digital wave gets lost entering the tunnel, while the FM wave bounces around inside the tunnel and makes it farther in.

    Disclaimer: You acknowledge and agree that all answers are provided as a general guide only and should not be relied upon as bespoke advice. Carsguide is not liable for the accuracy of any information provided in the answers.
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