HELP! My car won't start

I do not know much about cars and today when I got up to go to work my car wouldn't start (luckily my wife didn't have to work so I took her car). Anyways, I don't think its a problem with the battery because the lights and radio come on. When I turn the key the engine doesn't make a cranking noise, instead, it makes a noise that sounds like white noise (the static when you cant get your antenna to work). A neighbor said he thinks its the starter, but I don't know if he knows what he's talking about or not. Thanks for any help you can give me. By the way the car is a 1997 Ford Explorer 2 door 4 wheel drive.

Is it like a grinding noise? most likely it will be the starter. If it is a grinding noise it could be the gear on the starter no fully engaging or going all the way back. It shouldnt be too hard to figure out. Im sure you could replace the starter yourself if you do find that its the problem.

Yeah, Deathdealer now that you mention it it does sound like a grinding noise. So does that mena it probably is the starter? Thanks btw

chances are that it is the starter...has it ever done this before?

That would be my guess. One time my starter on a truck I used to have started doing that, and it turned out that the starter was just loose and causing the gear to not mesh up right. The good part is the starter gear is a softer metal than the flywheel so you dont have to worry about it getting eaten up. I would tap it with a stick or something and see if it wiggles, if it does tighten it, that may work. Otherwise head up to Oreillys or auto zone whichever you have locally and pick up a starter. You should be able to pull it off and try starting it with the starter off and see if the gear is going all the way in and out when the key is turned over. If not try some WD 40 or something if its binding.

Is it like a constant clicking? Starter...

It's the starter, from the description you gave.