I am really baffled - can you help explain this?

I don't want to make more of this than what it is, I'm sure there is probably a simple explanation but it lies beyond my scope so thought I would ask on this forum since there does appear to be a touch of grey about it.

At 5 am this morning I was rudely awoken by a loud and persistent static - dit-dit-dit - kind of like Morse code sound. It took me a minute to realise that it was emanating from a small radio that sits on a desk near my bed which was turned off although still plugged into a wall socket. I was just coming to grips with this odd occurrence when suddenly my Samsung Galaxy mobile came on which was a big surprise because several weeks ago it stopped connecting to the net for some inexplicable reason and has remained defunct since. I bought a cheap replacement but kept it because it takes good pics and the fm still works. It was sitting on the desk next to the radio and suddenly it connects for the first time since way back in early April while the switched off radio is making these weird static dit-dits. So I'm standing there thinking, 'What the..'

After 4 or 5 minutes the noise from the radio stopped as abruptly as it had started and the Samsung disconnected and remains disconnected. I was feeling uncomfortably nauseous by now as though I had been blasted by a dose of radiation or some such so I went for an early morning bike ride to get some fresh air. So now I am left wondering what the hell was that all about? Neither of the 2 people I share the house with experienced anything unusual this morning so it appears it was confined to my own room. I strongly suspect it had something to do with the Samsung and I am thinking now I might ditch it. But I could be wrong because, really, I have no clue at all.

Has anyone experienced anything similar or maybe has some idea what could have caused this? I would really appreciate your thoughts.

a reply to: Shema
Yes, and more than once though I've no answers for you.

My experience was about a year ago, in a room with television, plugged into a surge protector, but the surge protector was switched off. The power bar, also what it's called by some, may even have been unplugged from the wall.

I awoke at about 2:30am to 3:00ish, I'd say, hearing what you describe, coming from the television speakers, on the side of the tv. Very much, if not exactly, what you describe: dddd…bzzzbzzz.dddddd….morse code or some kind of strange tranciever type "static."

Got up, now that I think about it, the TV must have been plugged into the surge protector, the surge protector switch to off, but still plugged in….cause I did something that stopped it, finally, and all that could have been, really, was unplug the surge protector, itself, from the wall. Then it stopped.

Don't know the answer. I've heard similar listening to "number stations." Be well, regardless.
Tetra

Its the nsa using radio waves to remotely root your phone. The dit - dit -dit you heard was the radio pulses being picked up by your radio. To be so loud I'd guess they must be on your roof!

Its actually just electromagnetic interference (RFI). Its very well documented that if you are about to get a call or text message, that signal that is coming into your phone will interfere with the radio. Nothing mysterious Its quite reproducible, just have a friend call or text you when your radio is on.

*Ok, I admit, I only scanned your original post and decided to post my explanation. Whoops! Sorry. The dit-dit-dit sound does sound like RFI, but I have no explanation for the other odd things like your phone all of a sudden working. Wierd for sure! I wonder if your Samsung had received a software update over the 3G or 4G/LTE signal? That would explain why why it went on for a few minutes, and perhaps the update fixed the phones net connection bug??

a reply to: Shema

Sounds like your phone is screwed up and started working temporarily or had some other issue that messed with the radio and then it stopped working again. I had a POS phone that would do that every time a text message came in.

What kind of cell phone service do you use? Check to see if it's GSM. Those services tend to be bad with interfering.

Examples of GSM service providers:

ATT
TMOBILE

a reply to: Shema

OK, but a fair warning, this may get technical:

I'm also assuming that when you speak of a radio plugged in near your bed, you are taking about a clock-radio.

Radios signals are not very powerful, so to be audible, the audio signal has to pass through an amplifier. Within that amplifier are usually a few stages that pump the signal up, incrementally. In the case of a small transistor amp of the type used in a clock-radio, it would probably consist of a pre-amp stage and a power amp stage.

Normally both these amplifier stages sit across power supply 'rails' and do not have a switch to turn themselves off independently and because you usually want the clock to be powered on, the power supply itself is not usually switched, either. It eliminates a switch which would add cost to the appliance and wouldn't be that useful (because the clock would loose time).

To control the volume at the output of the power amp requires fairly heavy duty components to carry the current generated, so the preferred method is to put the volume control between the pre-amp and the power amp. This means that even though the volume may be off, both the pre and power amps are actually fully operating.

So that explains how the clock radio could pick up and amplify the radio "dit dits".

The next thing we'll look at is the 'phone.

You said that it went faulty previously. If the fault is a software fault, it usually is a hard fault that always occurs under the same particular conditions (like the execution of a particular module of code). However, hardware faults can be very intermittent and can be unpredictable.

In the case of modern electronics (like smart phones) they usually consist of miniaturized surface mounted components. In the case of the processor of the 'phone, they are usually of a type known as a ball-grid array mounting where hundreds of contact points on the underside of the processor are matched against contact points on the circuit board and the whole assembly is then heated until the solder on the CPU bridges across to the circuit board. This allows a great contact density but does have its problems.

The main problem with BGA mounting is differential expansion. The CPU is made of different stuff than the circuit board so thermal changes cause pressures on those contact points. This constant flexing causes the solder to become crystalline and brittle (especially with ROHS compliant low lead solder that would be used in a modern phone). Eventually the connection cracks and then the CPU no longer works.

Considering that it is likely that the 'phone was colder at 5 in the morning, it could be that the board/CPU assembly just flexed in the right way to make contact again and the CPU sprang to life, and started to do what it was designed to do and run the 'phone.

So the radio in the 'phone kicks in and tries to contact the cell towers and log into the network (causing the induced dit dits) but the processor is now generating heat and the board again flexes out of contact and the CPU dies.

When you examine the phone, the heat from the day or the heat from your hand causes the fault condition, so it seems to stay faulty afterward.

So, that explains the 'phone part.

Generally, I'd advise you that issues with BGA mounting are manufacturing defects and should be covered by warranty. You could recount your story to the techies/phone people as it identifies particularly that the issue relates to BGA manufacture. You could get a shiny new one out of it!

Cheers!

originally posted by: chr0naut
a reply to: Shema

However, hardware faults can be very intermittent and can be unpredictable.

This ^

I was going to ask how many blankets you had on.


Then after enjoying the reactions to that seeming non sequitur, I was going to say "A low temperature can cause it to work. When trouble shooting circuits and solder; the tech sometimes use a blast of cold air on a specific connection. To narrow down where the failure is."






For instance in this video, he probably identified which capacitor to replace by hitting one at a time with a blast of canned air and seeing if the computer came on.






But chr0naut already did a great job explaining the tech. I was right there with him when the phone contacted the tower, and the ditd-ditd-ditd started. Those are compressed information packets interleaved with like six other signals on that exact frequency. Hence the gap between packets.






The signal from the phone is strong enough to go through the wall and find the tower, being close enough to the radio to actually charge it's already charged amplifier, just like chr0naut explained. The broadcast strength of some wireless devices is quite strong. This is why consumer electronics were a problem for a while on airplanes.


Mike Grouchy

a reply to: chr0naut

this doesn't explain the sickness felt. I'm going with UFO flyover.

originally posted by: smithjustinb
a reply to: chr0naut

this doesn't explain the sickness felt. I'm going with UFO flyover.

The sickness could be due to many other factors.

I would surmise that it was a combination of low blood sugars, an abrupt wake-up and coming off an adrenalin surge after "weird s#@t goin' down".

It could also be a nodal crossover point between alternate reality streams as well as a UFO flyover - Who's to know?

a reply to: tetra50

Thanks for your reply, tetra50, I'm a bit relieved to hear my experience is a shared one. The mobile connecting at the same time when I thought it was busted is inexplicable. Thanks again.

a reply to: VoidHawk

Wow that's pretty weird alright, VoidHawke. I get the feeling that someone is messing around with me, although maybe not me specifically, if you know what I mean.

a reply to: JJRichey

Yeah that sounds feasible, JJRichey, although the connection bug is still there which is a goddamn nuisance because I would love to have my phone back working again. I wonder how it got a bug in the first place?

a reply to: OrphanApology

Yeah I tend to go with you on this OrphanApology, that maybe my phone is screwed and I just don't want it to be. The fact that it connected temporarilly suggests you are right. I will get a whinge in here and say that it shouldn't be screwed because it wasn't that old and I always looked after it. Bloody Samsung, huh!

a reply to: chr0naut

Well, I am impressed chrOnaut, and grateful. Thank you for giving me your time and expertise. With each reply as I scroll down I gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of what has occured. I have to accept that my poor phone is indeed a dead duck and any hopes I held out for its revival have dissolved. Sad to say.

a reply to: mikegrouchy

Thanks, mikegrouchy, early morning, coolest time of the day/night, it all fits with what I have learnt. Mystery solved I think I can now say with some confidence.

originally posted by: smithjustinb
a reply to: chr0naut



this doesn't explain the sickness felt. I'm going with UFO flyover.

Yes the nausea was definately there and took a while to settle down but could be explained away I guess, IE: I probably jumped out of bed quicker that I ought to and now that I think of it I got up at around 2 am and had a couple of olives with a slice of cheese. Don't ask me why because I very rarely eat during the night. Now that IS weird.

originally posted by: Shema
a reply to: mikegrouchy

Thanks, mikegrouchy, early morning, coolest time of the day/night, it all fits with what I have learnt. Mystery solved I think I can now say with some confidence.

Don't forget that chr0naut is probably right, and temperature related failure should be covered by the manufacturers warranty.


Mike Grouchy

Anecdotal story here related to OP:

I used to have a Sony receiver/home theater system that would on standby mode (not on, but powered) pick up small snippets of radio transmissions. Strangely, most of these were from police and first responders. Two different cities I lived, same thing. It creeper me out late at night to hear soft voices, but found the source quickly.

As for the cell phone, I think other posters have already covered that in detail.

Now, the place I'm living in doesn't have a dit dit dit, but a series of hums that are low frequency but audible. Ive tried for a year to track it down, but nothing yet. They are localized to the bedroom (and yes all the "toys" are off ), but I dont think it is anything sinister.

I was going to say you're being trolled by the NSA.
Yes the nerdy techno explanations are probably correct, but not as interesting.:

originally posted by: ldyserenity
I was going to say you're being trolled by the NSA.
Yes the nerdy techno explanations are probably correct, but not as interesting.:

Yes its hard to ignore such strong evidence but the funny thing is the nauseous sensation returns whenever I spend time in my bedroom plus an irritating dull throb in my head. To be honest with you something doesn't feel right since yesterday morning. Coincidence? I don't think so.