Ok, hang on a second. I can see the feasibility of maybe sending broadband via some network of metal pipes, but gas? Electricity, and gas?

I'm with whoever suggested radio interference. Still bizarre.

Just curious, are your headphones older Sennheiser RS series wireless?
I've a pair of older RS130 headphones that worked flawlessly in the USA until about a year ago when the FCC opened up the 700+mhz range to any mfg. Now I get a lot of crap coming in thru them whether plugged into an audio source or not.
Just curious what phones are giving you this problem.

Even though they replace the gas black pipe with plastic, all gas lines no matter hard(black pipe) or plastic, all get a signal wire buried in the trench. These lines are terminated and looped at every location that comes out of the ground. These signal lines are used to locate the gas lines for possible future excavation.

More than likely you are receiving a signal from some type of communication cable-telephone, cable, hi speed internet etc that has recently developed a leak. Some of the shrouding coating has been damaged. OR a neighbor has gotten a new device and it is leaking.

Or, it could be the new Chinese sleeper cell that was just awoken in your neighborhood.

They are Sentry Wireless Headphones, Model HO900. On the box it states the signal broadcasts up to 100 Ft and brochure states the headphone receiver has an operational frequency of 49.85 MHz. I only paid about $10.00 for them so they are not very powerful.

You know reading this makes me remember something that happened a couple years ago...

I had a cheap pair of walkie-talkies that only worked with eachother and I was trying to test the range with a friend of mine walking down the road away from eachother. When we finally got out of range and lost signal I started picking up what sounded like chinese. I don't know for sure it was chinese but from what little I have heard, that's what it sounded like. When the walkie talkies got back in range over eachother, I could no longer pick up the strange chatter. I'll have to see if I can find them again and maybe pick up the transmission again..

These transmissions could be coming from anywhere, even China itself. They could be bouncing off the ionosphere and jigging around power lines and gas pipes for all we know. Without knowing what is being said, or even if it's Chinese, we're all just guessing really.

Same with the walkie talkie story above. Such transmissions could be picked up anywhere by anybody with a bit of luck. Here in the UK, on a good day, you can pick up continental broadcasts on supposedly UK channels.

Also, on an old set of speakers I used to own, they would pick up the police radio everytime the buggers were within 500 metres of my house. It was clear as day and happened frequently. The Police probably think their radio was secure, but some old copper wires and some speakers blurted it out.

Originally posted by stumason

Also, on an old set of speakers I used to own, they would pick up the police radio everytime the buggers were within 500 metres of my house. It was clear as day and happened frequently. The Police probably think their radio was secure, but some old copper wires and some speakers blurted it out.

You don't realise how much that post has made me laugh StuMason.

'The buggers' ahahaha , what a great term for the police.

Anyhoo, back on topic -

I can only assume then that small chinese people are coming down the pipes and wires.

After much and deliberate thought, that is the only answer i can give you.

I can't find any spec sheet for HO900. Just guess from average price tag and few posts like this:

"The best thing I can say about this product is: it came in a real nice box! Reception was horrible, unbalanced, very static-filled, and hampered by the overpowering interference from some radio station with which I was not familiar. I returned it for a refund the very next day. Sorry to say, I was very disappointed in these headphones."


that it is peace of cheap crap. No offense here - I work with pro-level equipment - it is OK for kitchen TV.
Today is main line of such products based on Bluetooth (BT) technology but frequency which you post earlier is much lower then BT (BT use same spectral interval as 2.4 GHz WiFi). Also BT use digital encoding/decoding (codec) of sound so it is almost impossible to get some BT "understandable" signal from metal pipes (yes - they can work like induction antenna) if you don't setup your own experiment.
So your headphones are basically primitive radio (no digital codec) and yes you can catch lot of noise on it. Frequency you mentioned is probably public with some limitation on maximal radiating power - these "Chines" probably used much stronger amplifier than is allowed by law. It is not strange - every mobile operator do it with their transmitters.
BTW - I'm every time surprised by electromagnetic fields and radiation behaviour - it is just fantastically unpredictable in complex environments.

EDIT: typo

[edit on 19-11-2009 by zeddissad]

[edit on 19-11-2009 by zeddissad]

[edit on 19-11-2009 by zeddissad]

Go and see if your electrical service also enters that part of the house.
If it does, have your ground rods checked, there should be 2, 8' copper with a bare copper wire clamped to both running unbroken back to your main panel and attached securely.
I'm going to also tell you to have your neutral connection checked in the panel as well.
you are receiving RF or short wave skip.
BAD Grounding.
BAD Neutral.

I'll bet a piece of pumpkin pie on it!

I have RCA 900 MHZ wireless headphones and I can always hear a conversation when I use them. Sometimes I only hear 1 side of the conversation, sometimes both sides, but either way, VERY clear and strong reception --much better quality than any cell phone I've heard, too. It sounds as if I'm literally in the room with them.

I have listened for 5-20 minutes at times to see if I can make out any voices of my neighbors I know and nope, I can't place any voices. I've heard street names and did some searching and couldn't find any streets by those names anywhere around me, so now I'm thinking the people I hear aren't anywhere around me.

But yeah, what a great way to spy on people! We also just had a new meter put in and it just so happens to be right next to my office here. Before that is when I was only able to hear 1 side of the conversations, and after the installation of the new meter is when I began to hear both sides.

So yeah, weird stuff. I'm not sure yet if it's scary stuff, neat stuff, or what, but I'm thinking the meters / lines aid in listening to people that they need to, for whatever reason, maybe with a parabolic mic or something.

I think it should be looked into though.

Go and see if your electrical service also enters that part of the house.
If it does, have your ground rods checked, there should be 2, 8' copper with a bare copper wire clamped to both running unbroken back to your main panel and attached securely.
I'm going to also tell you to have your neutral connection checked in the panel as well.
you are receiving RF or short wave skip.
BAD Grounding.
BAD Neutral.

I'll bet a piece of pumpkin pie on it!