I’m getting this really weird effect. I typically listen to whatever it is my computer is pumping out (right now it’s some quality John Adams ) through headphones, connected to speakers connected to my computer. I do that because it gives easier volume control and it’s easier to switch to speakers, which is what I like since I left my really good headphones at Purdue.
Well I’ve discovered that when I do this I pick up (very, very faintly) a radio station. I can tell it’s the speakers that add this in (via independent scientific testing ) but I can’t figure out how or why. I’m pretty darn sure it’s radio station because I pick out a decent number of the words when I listen very carefully; but I find that very, very odd. I mean, most frequencies aren’t going to give you a radio station, right? Well this is coming in perfectly, very little static and just the one station (it’s not sampling multiple frequencies).
These speakers are old, bottom of the line, computer speakers that came with our family computer in around 95. They’re certainly not made to pick up radio and this just confuses the heck out of me. Any ideas? This isn’t something I need fixed, this is something that just plain baffles me!
Hobbes Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :
That happened with my old computer speakers, too. It only picks up the radio station when they're turned on, right?
I got a Spanish mariachi station, with a particularly obnoxious morning DJ. I forget how I dealt with the problem, though -- probably just turned up the volume on whatever music I was playing to drown out the Spanish station.
I wonder if that made the Spanish a subliminal message... VIVA MEXICO!!!
Posted by Liquor and Fireworks (Member # 5785) on :
This happened with my brother's computer speakers, we are not sure whether it was a virus, a radio station, or my neighbor's huge radio antenna they use to talk to people. I'm pretty sure it was a virus, as after formatting it seemed to go away, plus it sounded like it was saying "take a bong hit" at about the same time every night, very quietly. My neighbor's antenna has interfered with our TV before, but now I think those neighbors were evicted, so life is good.
Posted by Papa Moose (Member # 1992) on :
It's possible that through some odd connections, you've essentially created a crystal radio. Back in my very very old days of computing, if I turned on the 300 baud modem switch, then listened to the ostensibly disconnected phone, I heard music. Turned out to be The Mighty 690, a local A.M. station. Well, not really local, since it was in Mexico, but I was in San Diego, so it was close. I think it somehow involves the magnets in the speakers, and the wiring creates an antenna, but I have no idea how it really works.
--Pop
Posted by porcelain girl (Member # 1080) on :
that happens a lot to our speakers, but it used to happen to a frustrating degree to our telephones.
ha, i had this one old corded green phone that always picked up a very robust southern preacher's radio show every sunday morning. it was hilarious talking to my atheist boyfriend with the soft background of BE SAVED BELIEVE AND YOU ARE SAVED! sometimes it got loud enough that it sounded like the preacher was on the other end instead of my boyfriend.
Posted by Christy (Member # 4397) on :
And here Mythbusters just disproved that you could get crystal radio effects from your fillings. Darn!
Posted by Papa Moose (Member # 1992) on :
Mythbusters is wrong on that one, then. I personally saw it happen.
To Gilligan.
Posted by Ryuko (Member # 5125) on :
Yeah, I had a phone that picked up radio, too. It could be the same brand as yours, porce, also green. I believe it was US Bell or something like that.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
Yep, that's the explanation. It's just random.
Go on believing that people!!!
The truth is that a crude radio transmitter is built into every possible piece of electronic gear sold in America. This allows clandestine operatives to listen in to your life. Sometimes these devices fail and they start tuning in to various radio frequencies and then you notice it. I had a toaster that picked up the Weather Alert broadcasts for the Yucatan Peninsula.
When one of these things does start to fail, your best bet is to put it near something that's still working. That way the CIA and FBI will hear Reverend Billy-Bob or the Taco-Loco hour instead of being able to pick up their usual signal -- YOUR LIFE!!!
Hang on to those malfunctioning speakers, etc. They are worth their weight in gold!
Or at least aluminum foil hats.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
*checks off 7 names*
Right on schedule! Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
) through headphones, connected to speakers connected to my computer. I do that because it gives easier volume control and it’s easier to switch to speakers, which is what I like since I left my really good headphones at Purdue.![[Wink]](wink.gif)
) but I can’t figure out how or why. I’m pretty darn sure it’s radio station because I pick out a decent number of the words when I listen very carefully; but I find that very, very odd. I mean, most frequencies aren’t going to give you a radio station, right? Well this is coming in perfectly, very little static and just the one station (it’s not sampling multiple frequencies).![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)