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Author Topic: Weird radio interference  (Read 7176 times)

sevenlayermuddle

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Weird radio interference
« on: October 31, 2008, 10:50:02 PM »

As I drive home in the evenings I listen to radio 4.  Mornings it's Wogan, in the evenings it's Radio 4, it's just an age I'm going through.  At a certain exact point on the road, most evenings, radio 4 is fleetingly replaced by what sounds like some local channel.  It happens, and sorts itself, too fast to be sure what it is.

The first few times I heard it I reckoned a vehicle going the other way might have an FM transmiter on their MTP3 player, but I make that journey so often that I've narrowed it down to an exact spot on the road.   It's nothing to do with traffic.  There are some LV power lines along that road, but they come closer to the road further North wher there's no problem.  At the exact spot I get the interfrence there's nothing but hedges and trees.  There's what looks like a GSM antenna tower a few hundred feet away in a field, but it gets closer to the road further down with no problems.

One of these days I'm going to park the car and then wander up and down with a hand-held radio to see what happens.  That's a less attractive idea with the cold weather and dark evenings, so if anybody has other ideas I'd be fascinated to hear.

To be absoulutely specific, I'm talking of A413 Southbound approaching Whitchurch near Aylesbury, about 100ft before the 30mph signs.  I wonder what effect it has on DSL for nearby properties :-[


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dave.m

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Re: Weird radio interference
« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2008, 11:55:27 PM »

Is it like a chattering noise?

If your mobile phone is on the passenger seat or in your pocket, try placing it elsewhere in the car before you drive along that stretch of the road.

It could be that your mobile is 'chatting' to the next telecoms mast along your route to find the strongest signal. When it does this and is near a speaker or radio receiver it can cause the speakers to chatter or click.

This has happened with people having a cell phone on their computer desk and it starts to search for a stronger signal.

dave 
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tickmike

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Re: Weird radio interference
« Reply #2 on: November 01, 2008, 12:09:43 AM »

This is quite normal when the signal strength is low and then it can get swamped by a local transmitter.
At that spot there may be some iron ore under the ground that affects the signal or the signal could be  shielded by hills .
I can think of an exact place on the A50 near Derby where this happens.
It may only affect that one frequency and it will have no affect on Broadband.
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sevenlayermuddle

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Re: Weird radio interference
« Reply #3 on: November 01, 2008, 10:15:23 AM »

It's not mobile phone chatter, sounds exactly like another radio station.  And it's always been voices, never music.

I like the iron-ore theory, though.  I think the normal Radio 4 signal strength is quite good at that spot, but these days car radios are better at dealing with and hiding weak signals.   And I'm interested (disappointed!)  to hear it's 'normal', I'd never heard it before.

I'm still tempted to plod up and down on foot to narrow it down.  If I actually lived nearby (which I don't) I be even more tempted.  At least may be able to listen long enough to identify the source.

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Floydoid

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Re: Weird radio interference
« Reply #4 on: November 01, 2008, 10:30:43 AM »

Sounds like a case for Mulder & Sculley to me.
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Ezzer

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Re: Weird radio interference
« Reply #5 on: November 01, 2008, 01:22:31 PM »

I've always noticed a similar thing in norwich particuarly near th Carrow road works and the football ground. a strong buzzing on the radio.

I can see all the points where its picked up is in  a straight line, pick it up in a vehicle as the road route zig zags across the line of noise.
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Floydoid

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Re: Weird radio interference
« Reply #6 on: November 01, 2008, 01:47:29 PM »

There are many strange things (and people) in the Carrow Road area.
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jid

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Re: Weird radio interference
« Reply #7 on: November 01, 2008, 03:17:43 PM »

There are many strange things (and people) in the Carrow Road area.

 :lol:
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Floydoid

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Re: Weird radio interference
« Reply #8 on: November 01, 2008, 04:03:42 PM »

... not to mention some pretty ropey football... I'm sure Ezzer knows what I mean by 'strange people'.
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Pwiggler

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Re: Weird radio interference
« Reply #9 on: November 02, 2008, 07:57:00 AM »

wogan is on radio 2 in the mornings??
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Paul

Ezzer

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Re: Weird radio interference
« Reply #10 on: November 02, 2008, 01:18:46 PM »

Used to live at Cedar Road when the AA had the office opposite. Odd ? oh yes

Once on a thursday I saw Lee Hurst walking along Magdalen street near the anglia tv studios. Friday had to get to Cambridge by train to sort an office there and pick a car up, while waiting fo my lift at the station Rory Mcgrath comes through the door and proclaims "So, you arrived then!" (then realised he was talking to someone standing directly behind me, got me wondering for a mo') Then on the Saturday as the Coach and Horses was my local, found it packed with Norwich and Stoke supporters. So there was Nick Hancock holding audience in the rear corner of the pub.

3 days, and 3 of the regular presenters of They think it's all over. Odd. All i would have needed is to bump into David Gower on sunday and Gary Lineker perhaps on monday
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