CB Radio's causing interference
Discussion
Not too sure if this is in the right section, but as it's more on the legality side of things it seems most appropriate.
For quite a while now I've been noticing that if I leave my PC speakers on at a medium-high volume, but with nothing actually playing through them, every so often i've been hearing some rather strange noises, which now that i've been paying more attention to each time it happens sounds very much like badly tuned AM transmissions including the background buzz. Not the biggest of issues, just means remembering to turn them down or off if im not using them.
But also lately whilst watching TV (freeview) there's been a number of occasions the signals dropped out momentarily (long enough for my digibox to bring up the signal lost message) and then comes back. Then This morning the penny dropped as both coincided repeatedly. When the TV signal was dropping out I was hearing these transmissions through the PC speakers and as soon as that stopped the TV signal came back. So the two are obviously linked.
Although it's a detached property, we're in close proximity to the back of a cul-de-sac of 6 OAP retirement bungalows. And I know one resident does play about with CB radio's, has quite a big mast in the corner of his back yard which is the closest point to our house (and also in the middle of the line of sight of my TV antenna and the mast it points too) and has also asked me whilst walking up the lane past my house how our sky dish was mounted and explained he uses CB and was looking for a way to get his masts higher.
So it does all seem to tie in rather well now that i've actually clicked on to it and thought about it.
What I would like some advice on is what are the legalities of using CB/transmitting radio frequencies and causing interference/nuisance to other people. I don't have a problem with going around for a neighbourly chat, but would rather go with more of an idea of a workable solution, not just "stop using CB your causing me problems" or "do something about it or i'll phone the police or offcom" etc. It's clearly a big past time for him, and devices and the way the radio waves are used has probably changed dramatically since he first started using them. I don't want to stop him, I have no right too, but at the same time not being able to watch more than a few moments of a TV program continuously before being greeted with "signal lost" for more time of the program than what I get too see is starting to get a bit old.
For quite a while now I've been noticing that if I leave my PC speakers on at a medium-high volume, but with nothing actually playing through them, every so often i've been hearing some rather strange noises, which now that i've been paying more attention to each time it happens sounds very much like badly tuned AM transmissions including the background buzz. Not the biggest of issues, just means remembering to turn them down or off if im not using them.
But also lately whilst watching TV (freeview) there's been a number of occasions the signals dropped out momentarily (long enough for my digibox to bring up the signal lost message) and then comes back. Then This morning the penny dropped as both coincided repeatedly. When the TV signal was dropping out I was hearing these transmissions through the PC speakers and as soon as that stopped the TV signal came back. So the two are obviously linked.
Although it's a detached property, we're in close proximity to the back of a cul-de-sac of 6 OAP retirement bungalows. And I know one resident does play about with CB radio's, has quite a big mast in the corner of his back yard which is the closest point to our house (and also in the middle of the line of sight of my TV antenna and the mast it points too) and has also asked me whilst walking up the lane past my house how our sky dish was mounted and explained he uses CB and was looking for a way to get his masts higher.
So it does all seem to tie in rather well now that i've actually clicked on to it and thought about it.
What I would like some advice on is what are the legalities of using CB/transmitting radio frequencies and causing interference/nuisance to other people. I don't have a problem with going around for a neighbourly chat, but would rather go with more of an idea of a workable solution, not just "stop using CB your causing me problems" or "do something about it or i'll phone the police or offcom" etc. It's clearly a big past time for him, and devices and the way the radio waves are used has probably changed dramatically since he first started using them. I don't want to stop him, I have no right too, but at the same time not being able to watch more than a few moments of a TV program continuously before being greeted with "signal lost" for more time of the program than what I get too see is starting to get a bit old.
I am probably decades out of date, but UK CB frequencies are supposed to be FM only. AM frequencies used by US users were and probably are still used here illegally, and at far more than the legal maximum power of 4 Watts. Initially only certain UK only frequencies were allowed but later European (CEPT) frequencies were added for new transceivers only - no retro fitting. FM at 4 Watts and in certain frequency bands only are legal. If your neighbour is using AM, SSB, >4w, or other frequencies than allowed, he can be stopped. Your task is to find this out!
LeeThr said:
I'm not saying he is using AM it's just the only way I can think of describing the sounds im getting out of my PC speakers, they sit probably 6/7 meters away from his mast at most with only one wall/window to go through.
No I realise that but he may be operating outside the legal parameters, and if he is then you have a proverbial 'big stick' to carry when you go and speak softly to him.Are you sure it's only CB radio he's using? The 4 watt legal limit for CB is because such low power is unlikely to cause interference but a licensed amateur can use more than 4 watts. And also use much higher frequencies.
The fact that his aerial is in line with your TV aerial is probably a coincidence, certainly if he's using CB, because the frequencies are so different. If he was using UHF he probably wouldn't have such a large aerial himself. However, it may well be that the lead between your TV and your aerial is picking up interference. A cable running up to the roof forms a pretty good aerial for lower frequencies, and it'll be parallel to the CB aerial.
The fact that his aerial is in line with your TV aerial is probably a coincidence, certainly if he's using CB, because the frequencies are so different. If he was using UHF he probably wouldn't have such a large aerial himself. However, it may well be that the lead between your TV and your aerial is picking up interference. A cable running up to the roof forms a pretty good aerial for lower frequencies, and it'll be parallel to the CB aerial.
Dr Jekyll said:
Are you sure it's only CB radio he's using? The 4 watt legal limit for CB is because such low power is unlikely to cause interference but a licensed amateur can use more than 4 watts. And also use much higher frequencies.
The fact that his aerial is in line with your TV aerial is probably a coincidence, certainly if he's using CB, because the frequencies are so different. If he was using UHF he probably wouldn't have such a large aerial himself. However, it may well be that the lead between your TV and your aerial is picking up interference. A cable running up to the roof forms a pretty good aerial for lower frequencies, and it'll be parallel to the CB aerial.
I couldn't answer that one im afraid. All he said to me was "CB radio".The fact that his aerial is in line with your TV aerial is probably a coincidence, certainly if he's using CB, because the frequencies are so different. If he was using UHF he probably wouldn't have such a large aerial himself. However, it may well be that the lead between your TV and your aerial is picking up interference. A cable running up to the roof forms a pretty good aerial for lower frequencies, and it'll be parallel to the CB aerial.
My aerial sits inside the attic, and has a very short cable run to the digibox, that sit's on top of the wardrobe almost directly underneath the aerial. I also live in a bungalow.
I'll try and get a picture of the mast he's using, (shouldn't be too hard it towers over the hedged in the corner.)
But the equipment and set up I have has been the same for a long number of years, and problems only arised when he moved in a couple of years back. It's just taken this long for me to actually work it all out. Partly due to me being at home more recently during hours he'd be up and operating.
I don't want to cause a problem or any arguments especially as he probably isn't aware he's causing any problems himself, but at the same time having my activities at home disrupted is becoming a bit tiresome.
It might be a complete coincidence, but we got a flyer through the door a few weeks back to say that mobile phone companies have been allowed to use new frequencies which may cause interference with freeview and the body in question had been given government funding to sort this out. It could be this that is causing the interference not your neighbor?
SystemParanoia said:
I'm sure my folks have a 100w burner in the loft somewhere. Ill have to find it and dust it off. Couod be a laugh
Yep, back in the day my (not exactly legal) CB would would cause TV screens to go blank yellow and silence the volume whenever the mic was keyed. My neighbours soon got the hump.This situation sounds like typical bleed.
lbc said:
If you are near a mobile phone mast it could be 4G interference. You can buy filters for your TV to cure this.
It's more likely you are using cheap Chinese speakers that are not screened properly.
Also your TV antenna and cable may have degraded over the years.
There you go OP its all your fault buying cheap crappy speakers and not upgrading you coax, so stop moaning about and blaming poor old OAP`s.It's more likely you are using cheap Chinese speakers that are not screened properly.
Also your TV antenna and cable may have degraded over the years.
It's most likely to be the CB given what you already know about the guy and also the speaker and telly interference. Same thing used to happen 'back in the day' when everyone was on them, especially if you were using a burner (amp) which many people were. It's possible he's transmitting on low/mid/high band in AM either side of the FM CB frequency range (27 MHz) but other than the Irish truckers I wouldn't have thought there'd be any need to use AM these days as you don't tend to have wall to wall music on all the FM channels like you used to have to deal with back then.
The solution back then - and probably still works today - is to get some ferrite rods/cores and attach them to your cables as it's likely to be cables that are picking up the interference. They come in packets and are cheap to buy. Worth trying those before going marching round to confront the guy imho.
The solution back then - and probably still works today - is to get some ferrite rods/cores and attach them to your cables as it's likely to be cables that are picking up the interference. They come in packets and are cheap to buy. Worth trying those before going marching round to confront the guy imho.
The lower the frequency then the larger the antenna, it has been a long time for me but I think the UK CB frequency has a single wave length of eleven meters.
Legally they were restricted to 4 watts as they aren't qualified so cannot be expected to test and maintain their equipment.
The problem arises when they amplify their transmissions , they have all sorts of stupid names for these RF amplifiers.
I have built and used RF stuff using hundreds of watts on the ham bands in years gone by, it was always the hams responsibility to not only ensure your kit was aligned and filtered for harmonics, but also to assist where interference was caused but was down to poor kit on the part of the person receiving the interference, in my experience it was usually poor coax on their part.
This was very heavily policed, hams used to assist the authorities in locating the irresponsible CB fraternity.
Sadly this has all gone now, even the ham licence has been downgraded so just about anyone can get a licence.
I seriously doubt you will have any joy with offcom, the friendly approach with your neighbour is far more likely to get results in my opinion.
Good luck.
Legally they were restricted to 4 watts as they aren't qualified so cannot be expected to test and maintain their equipment.
The problem arises when they amplify their transmissions , they have all sorts of stupid names for these RF amplifiers.
I have built and used RF stuff using hundreds of watts on the ham bands in years gone by, it was always the hams responsibility to not only ensure your kit was aligned and filtered for harmonics, but also to assist where interference was caused but was down to poor kit on the part of the person receiving the interference, in my experience it was usually poor coax on their part.
This was very heavily policed, hams used to assist the authorities in locating the irresponsible CB fraternity.
Sadly this has all gone now, even the ham licence has been downgraded so just about anyone can get a licence.
I seriously doubt you will have any joy with offcom, the friendly approach with your neighbour is far more likely to get results in my opinion.
Good luck.
There's a very easy way to prove or eliminate interference by your neighbours kit. It does require his collaboration though.
You need to be sitting in front of your TV with your PC speakers on in the normal circumstances where you hear the interference.
You need to have your neighbour on the phone and get him to start transmitting. You will know instantly if it's interfering.
You can even do it semi-blind if it seems to correlate, that is, you get him to 'key up' and you tell him when you think it's on or off. Obviously it relies on him being honest (and you for that matter).
If he's a responsible adult he will want to eliminate his kit as the fines etc for having illegal gear are high. Not to mention that Ofcom could confiscate it all.
I will say that there's a possibility that it isn't the CB kit at all. I work in TV with wireless gear and everyone blames it first, before even trying to diagnose anything else. Usually it's something else but we still have to go though the process of elimination.
Good luck anyway.
You need to be sitting in front of your TV with your PC speakers on in the normal circumstances where you hear the interference.
You need to have your neighbour on the phone and get him to start transmitting. You will know instantly if it's interfering.
You can even do it semi-blind if it seems to correlate, that is, you get him to 'key up' and you tell him when you think it's on or off. Obviously it relies on him being honest (and you for that matter).
If he's a responsible adult he will want to eliminate his kit as the fines etc for having illegal gear are high. Not to mention that Ofcom could confiscate it all.
I will say that there's a possibility that it isn't the CB kit at all. I work in TV with wireless gear and everyone blames it first, before even trying to diagnose anything else. Usually it's something else but we still have to go though the process of elimination.
Good luck anyway.
Super Slo Mo said:
I will say that there's a possibility that it isn't the CB kit at all.
OP said:
And I know one resident does play about with CB radio's, has quite a big mast in the corner of his back yard which is the closest point to our house (and also in the middle of the line of sight of my TV antenna and the mast it points too) and has also asked me whilst walking up the lane past my house how our sky dish was mounted and explained he uses CB and was looking for a way to get his masts higher.
Seems likely... In my experience Ofcom won't do anything, we had some interference at work a while back on our licences frequencies and hired a company which used a frequency analyser to find the culprits but ofcom wouldn't even look into it, they have the power to fine and even imprison but I don't think they've flexed their muscles like that since the pirate radio days.
Stuff like ethernet over powerline transmitters can also cause a stupid amount of interference but they still allow them to be sold openly in high street shops so it may not even be the guy with the CB radio. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/04/05/ofcom_plt_...
Stuff like ethernet over powerline transmitters can also cause a stupid amount of interference but they still allow them to be sold openly in high street shops so it may not even be the guy with the CB radio. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/04/05/ofcom_plt_...
All that jazz said:
Super Slo Mo said:
I will say that there's a possibility that it isn't the CB kit at all.
OP said:
And I know one resident does play about with CB radio's, has quite a big mast in the corner of his back yard which is the closest point to our house (and also in the middle of the line of sight of my TV antenna and the mast it points too) and has also asked me whilst walking up the lane past my house how our sky dish was mounted and explained he uses CB and was looking for a way to get his masts higher.
Seems likely... 
Forums | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff