Interference Sources on OTA, Radio, WiFi Signals

[dgage246]

I found out what the problem was. I did what Industry Canada said to do. Using a portable radio and waiting until the interference started, I killed the power to the whole house and the problem went away! I put the power back on and the static started up again. Next I started shutting individual breakers off until I found the one that was causing the problem. When I shut the power off to the apartment we have in the house the static stopped again. As we don't have a tenant in there right now I know there wasn't a lot of stuff plugged in up there. Again I had to wait for about half a hour for the static to start again but when it did I went up and unplugged the only thing up there, the fridge. The static stopped, I plugged it back in and the static started again, unplugged it and it stopped. I've had the fridge unplugged for about 3 hrs now and haven't had any interference at all. When I told my wife about this she did say she had turned the fridge down to its lowest setting on Saturday as it wasn't being used.
It sure is strange that was the problem! But I'm glad I was able to track it down. Thanks for all of your help!

[Jase88]

I had a similar situation back in the summer. Work crews were nearby using equipment to repair the roadway. Whatever they were using generated both audible noise, and created interference for my OTA equipment.

[stampeder]

dgage246, if aliens attack just put on your tinfoil hat and slip out the back to plug in that old fridge - you'll scramble their systems!

[GeoStar]

Aliens on ice ?

[nakedgord]

I've noticed something similar in my area. My, and neighbours, wifi seemed weak in the past, radio reception is poor and atsc tv signals are substandard for the area of the country I'm in (Niagara). Although thee escartment is clearly blocking the US signals when I was first enquiring about OTA reception in the Niagara thread here someone said that he knew someone who lived by me near The Pen Centre and that I was lucky that I was getting the CBC because his friend (who lived right behind the Pen) wasn't able to pull in anything and that "something" was dampening reception of even the Canadian stations although there's nothing geographic that should block them.

I had just thought that the area I'm in sucked for OTA because of how dense and commercial it is but the second post about "dangerous" has me concerned now...

[Jase88]

There are many sources of broadband electromagnetic noise, that can easily wipe out or interfere with licensed and unlicensed radio communications.

Believe me, cable companies (which use broadband RF over their coaxial networks) spend big bucks maintaining their networks and cleaning up sources of RF noise--especially on their return path of 0 to 40MHz. It can be as simple as a bad connector or damaged cable, to a malfunctioning VCR at someone's home, to the failure of an electrical transformer. Because everyone on a cable system has access to the same spectrum, everyone is affected within that coaxial node--similar to over the air interference.

The harmonics from strong interference can propagate throughout a large swath of spectrum. This is why I always recommend against using broadband amplifiers (40-1000MHz for example) for OTA applications.

[nakedgord]

So should I call Industry Canada out of concern a plane could crash in my area (or whatever) or is this more of "your area sucks.. live with it" type of thing?

[Jase88]

Industry Canada is essentially the "RF Police". If someone or something is interfering with a licensed radio service, they will investigate and take appropriate action. Examples of users of licensed radio services are: Police, fire, taxi companies, airlines (NavCanada), cellular carriers and their customers, etc.

WiFi uses unlicensed spectrum. Therefore, there is little Industry Canada would do for interference in the spectrum used by WiFi systems (such as 2.4GHz). The exception for unlicensed spectrum enforcement would be situations where interference is generated by someone using the spectrum beyond the parameters set forth for legal use. For example, someone transmitting a signal that exceeds lawful power output.

[JamesK]

It gets a little more interesting with the 2.4 GHz band that WiFi and microwave ovens use. It partially overlaps an amateur radio band which, as a licensed service, has priority. So, you could be operating your WiFi uwithin the applicable specs & regulations, yet still be responsible if you cause interference to amateur radio. On the other hand, a licensed amateur could run a high power transmitter (1 kilowatt is legal, though perhaps not healthy) in that band and wipe out every WiFi in the vicinity and still be operating entirely legally, without any concern for the WiFi.

[Jase88]

JamesK: True enough: Unlicensed RF users cannot cause interference with licensed RF users, and they must accept whatever interference is present--"even interference that causes undesirable operation".

Though microwave ovens shouldn't be leaking RF: The transmitter is encased within a metal box, which is supposed to contain the signal.

[HDTV101]

I just googled 'UFO Radio and TV Interference' seems to be something going on.... Did the X-Files come back? Be thankful you're not "blacking out" like this guy... and experiencing any "missing time"

http://propheticwisdom.wordpress.com...vember-8-2009/

UFO Radio and TV Interference AT THIS TIME. TURN YOUR RADIO TO AM…November 8, 2009

It started at about 6:00 ish pm. It is 9:12 pm Toronto Ontario Time.

If you are in Cornwall to Toronto, Bancroft to Rochester, dial through your am channels 530-650.

If you hear what I hear, it is on one channel a rythmic whomp, whomp, whomp, or a quick, tick, tick, tick. Very machine like rhythm and sound.

On another channel is a squeel with waves of frequencies that almost match the rhythm from the other channel.

If you have rabbit ears on your TV it may act like mine. If it does, the channels will wipe out and a black screen will appear with rhtmic white lines going accross it and then it will flick back to the picture.

The same rhythm and pattern of intensity and relaxation is happening at my studio on 1 TV and 2 radios at this time.

I have been blacking out a lot which happens when there is UFO activity close by.

We knew the signs were showing that this was about to happen and it has begun.

Good luck.

Sterling

[mr weather]

Look around your neighbours (or yourself) to see who has recently installed a new furnace. The new models are notorious for spewing out all kinds of nasty RFI. Those sounds are due to this RFI. There are fixes available from the furnace manufacturers.

[Jase88]

I wouldn't be surprised if Niagara's hydro-electric plants generate huge amounts of radio interference. Most of the equipment is underground, or within the Niagara River valley below the falls, but I'm sure infererence still escapes.

[JamesK]

Those hydro-electric plants produce 60 Hz power, although they still make some 25 Hz. Those frequencies are near the bottom end of the hearing range and a very long way from frequencies used for broadcast radio & TV. For example, VHF Ch 2 is about 1 million times the 60 Hz power line frequency. While there may be other frequencies used in control & monitor systems, those are also a lot lower than TV frequencies. Interference caused by arcing, while it may reach lower VHF, would tend to be of short duration as switches are opened and closed.

[Jase88]

Originally Posted by JamesK

Those hydro-electric plants produce 60 Hz power, although they still make some 25 Hz. Those frequencies are near the bottom end of the hearing range and a very long way from frequencies used for broadcast radio & TV. For example, VHF Ch 2 is about 1 million times the 60 Hz power line frequency. While there may be other frequencies used in control & monitor systems, those are also a lot lower than TV frequencies. Interference caused by arcing, while it may reach lower VHF, would tend to be of short duration as switches are opened and closed.

That's current that's alternating at 60Hz, not generating audible noise at that frequency. AC current certainly generates "hum bars" at that frequency on cable and other RF signals.