What type of leads can act as antennas to pick up RF signals?

Stereo speaker leads can act as antennas to pick up RF signals due to their long, conductive wires that can resonate effectively at radio frequencies. These leads are typically unshielded and have a significant length compared to the wavelengths of the RF signals, making them capable of capturing electromagnetic waves.

Speaker leads are designed to carry audio signals, but their construction allows them to function as makeshift antennas. When placed in proximity to RF fields, they can pick up stray signals, especially if the connected devices are not properly shielded or grounded.

In contrast, microphone cables and instrument cables usually contain shielding to prevent interference from external sources and are designed primarily for low-frequency audio applications. While they can sometimes pick up RF noise, their construction does not favorably support the reception of RF signals like speaker leads do. Power leads are meant to carry electrical power rather than data signals and typically have a grounding mechanism that would prevent them from acting effectively as antennas for RF signals.

Thus, speaker leads have inherent characteristics that make them particularly adept at functioning as antennas for picking up RF signals.