Okay, this has happened at least 4 times now. It just happened like 30 minutes ago and that's why I decided to ask if anyone else has this problem.

The first couple times, I noticed that the T.V. would have a random, extremely loud transmission come out of it while it's on. It usually sounds like people talking, but it's so loud and only lasts a few seconds so I can't make much out.

About a month ago while my family and I were sleeping, we were awaken by our radio doing the same thing....it was the first time my wife heard it and she was extremely scared by the sound.

Now it just hapened while I was reading a thread on contacting aliens. It was through the TV.... but for some reason when it happened, MY COMPUTER INSTANTLY SHUT OFF!

Now, I have heard it enough times, but it still really scares me when it happens to where I am completely shaken. I still have goosebumps.

I would say it sounds really echoey like a CB radio or something.

If anyone knows what this is and if there is any way to stop it from happening, I would much appreciate your help!

Thanks in advance!

Do you know if anyone in your neighborhood is an amateur (sometimes called 'ham') radio operator? If they're putting out a kilowatt of RF, it could be finding its way in to your television and radio. Especially, if they are located geographically close to you.

I can't answer your question but I can tell you a weird story that might:

My sister lives on the side of a mountain. At the bottom of the mountain was a road crew working on the highway for several weeks during this last summer.

One day while doing dishes my sister heard talking from the back of her house. Coming from her bedroom. She investigated, nothing.
It happened several more times. Sometimes short, sometimes long. She couldn't make out what the voices were saying but it did seem to be conversation.

Then one morning it happened, while she was in the bedroom. She looked out her window, nothing. Then she leaned into where it seemed to be coming from, her air conditioner. When she did her air conditioner said, "Ok there's a white toyota, last car." Then another voice said, "Ok. I see it."

Her air conditioner, for some reason, was picking up walkie talkie "cross talk."

Maybe something like that is happening to you too.

Originally posted by kreinhard
Do you know if anyone in your neighborhood is an amateur (sometimes called 'ham') radio operator? If they're putting out a kilowatt of RF, it could be finding its way in to your television and radio. Especially, if they are located geographically close to you.

I was thinking the same thing. Even a trucker's CB with an illegal "kicker"
(power amp) and cause this to happen. If you find out who is new in the neighborhood, you can try to ask them to turn down the power.

I see your in central PA how close to I-80 are you?

My truck puts out 1000 watts, and I know many ppl that have base radios around there from the Ohio line all the way to NJ.

The most powerfull are around exit 46 and another one is at exit 97 and another at exit 173 at Mill Hall.

Back when I actually drove, "got hired hand now" I could tell my wife I was home from 1/2 mile away through our TV.
If I key up, and turn the power up on my ham I can get noise out of my toaster, and all the neighbors start calling.

I'm about 15 miles from I-81. Not sure about the HAM radios.

I was only ever able to make out one word and that was the 'F' bomb. My coworker told me that you can't swear on HAM radio.... but that just seems dumb to me. How would anyone keep you from swearing.

The worst part of it is how loud it is....

And does it make sense that it would be able to turn of my computer?

Maybe I could make a complaint about this to my township or something?

Unless its is still happening or continuous, its likely that the person responsible, is many miles away.

It would be the same as reporting hearsay, unless you got proof also.

If the interference is coming from a properly (legally) operated licensed amateur radio operator (ham), there is very little you can do. Part 97 takes precedence over unlicensed Part 15 devices. Your only recourse would be to contact the ham and ask them politely to resolve the issue. Be advised that, while most will, it is not a legal requirement.

If the interference is coming from an illegally operated station (freebanders, pirate radio, CBers with kilowatt linears, &c), then you would have to complain to the FCC. If they choose to investigate, it is likely they would get local hams to help triangulate the offending transmitter (assuming it isn't a transient mobile unit).

Consumer electronic devices (mostly covered by Part 15) are required, by regulation, to take the interference. If they do not operate properly in proximity to legal transmissions, about the only thing you can do is try to shield them, or contact the manufacturer for resolution (good luck with that). It is unfortunate that the makers of televisions, radios, and other electronics have opted not to properly shield their equipment.

On the flip side of the coin, if you have Part 15 devices, say an 802.11 wireless router or something, that is interfering with amateur radio operations, you will be required to fix the problem. I only include that as an illustration of the preference given to licensed operations over unlicensed and consumer devices.

Good luck!

i've had this happen to me too, but i don't watch tv much anymore. Last year i think it happened about 2-3 times. I would be listening to the tv and random burst of voice or sound comes through that doesn't match the program at all. I thought it was wierd but i'm glad i'm not the only one lol. i have sattelite btw and i live in canada.

Hmm. From the TV I could possibly explain, everything else is beyond me, so I'd go with what the other people say.

But we have a Virgin Media box, and you can always hear background from what I think is the normal TV underneath it when you're sitting close to the TV. Doesn't seem to bother the parents, but I think they're partially deaf anyway. It's never very loud though...
It took me ages to work out what it was, coz it always just sounded like people talking quietly. But then I heard an advert one time and was like ahh, I get it now!

Oh, and I also know what it's like for the computer to shut down when you're looking at something weird. I was reading about something to do with aliens, I forget what exactly, but I was sort of link hopping on the subject and the computer shut down. Turns out there was a tiny power shortage, I dunno whether it was just my house or the whole street but it gave me a bit of a scare at the time.
As you can tell it mustn't've scarred too deep since I still lurk ATS all the time and I can't even remember what I was looking at at the time.

But yeah, it could just be radios or a dodgy frequency or something. Understandable why it's freaking you out though, if it happened to me I would be too!

Edited because overuse of the '' was freaking me out!

[edit on 21/12/2009 by Ayana]

All consumer electronic devices must accept interference in order to conform to FCC Regulations. As such, they can and will get interference from other (more powerful) consumer electronic devices, as well as commercial and military interference.

It's rather humorous too what can be at the root of interference.

A local TV and Radio station were both receiving irregular interference. They both reported it to the FCC and after about a month the FCC investigated. They finally triangulated the source of the interference and it was an automated Security Gate at the Airport that was installed under the Patriot Act Regulations that wasn't properly grounded. After the Airport had an electrician ground the circuit, all interference stopped.

Not that long ago, an entire city in Florida had their Garage Doors opening in unison at irregular intervals. It took months to figure out the source, but it turned out to be the testing of a new LF Radar System on a US Submarine that was patrolling off the coastline.

However, with Cable, especially if you have both Internet Access and Cable on the same drop, it is not unusual to get bleed-over from one channel to the next coming across on both your TV and your Computer (even with a Noise Filter installed on your Splitter).