Hello! I'm new, with ??'s

Hi, This is my first time on any forum. I'm sorry to start off with a question, but you guys seem pretty smart and I have had no good answer so far. I am a medical transcriber and do digital voice processing on my PC, using headphones hooked up to one of my speakers. I get annoying radio frequency (so I have been told) interference that is so loud it just about blows my ears off through my headphones. It is an intermittent, very loud buzzing, that comes and goes. I hear a more subtle buzzing when my office neighbor is using her cell phone. I am told this is coming from a nearby construction project. I have tried a little gadget I got at a radio store, like a heavy metal ring type thing that you wrap your headphone cord around, but it didn't help. When I unplug my headphones from the speaker, this noise comes out of my speakers. My boss is clueless, and bought me some "noise cancelling" headphones which didn't help. I have been told that my headphone cord or some of my computer wiring is actiing as an antenna. Does anyone know how I get rid of this? Thanks for any advice or suggestions. Happy Tuesday, Donna

 

Hi Donna. I don't have an answer, just wanted to say welcome 'cos i'm new too. Have a nice day.

 

Thanks for the good wishes!

Thanks Cobrajet! I know my problem is kind of weird but hopefully someone will be able to help. Seems like some smart folks on this site, so wish me luck! Take care!

 

Hi Donna and WELCOME to MG

The problem you are referring to is called RF interference and is generated by all electrical devices; there are rules and regs to limit the amount of RF interference that any electrical device makes. If the noise in your headset came about when the construction site started, you can report them to the local authorities, or talk to them yourself. That subtle buzzing you hear when your neighbour uses her cell phone is again RF Interference. The metal coil that you picked up from the radio store is called a “Choke” and by wrapping the head phone wires around it should help to mitigate the buzzing sound in your headset, try more wraps around the ring, by passing the headset wires through the ring and around it. Hope that clarifies the issue for you Donna, and again welcome to Major Geeks and great to have aboard the Geek ship, happy posting

SIDE NOTE:- to you techies out there I realize this explanation is overly simplistic

 

Re: Thank you sir may I have another!

Thank you BC for your very prompt answer! I may approach the people in the construction trailer and see if I can't get some results, assuming they are broadcasting above the acceptable level and if I just get the construction crew sneer, find out who to report them to. I actually purchased a larger, clamp-on choke and tried wrapping my power cord and other cords, since the sound was coming from my speaker when my headset was unplugged but no luck. I have heard there are devices you place between the plug and the outlet, which I may try also. Again, thank you for the info and possible solutions to my problem! Take care, Donna

 

You’re more than welcome Donna, glad I could be of some assistance. The device you plug into the wall is a RF filter, and has varying results, as your computer already has a RF filter built in. Another solution is to have a metal cage built to surround you computer, making certain it does not restrict AIR flow. Basically your computer case and components are acting as small/large antennas and that sound is amplified and delivered to you via your headset or speakers. All that said it is extremely ILLEGAL to produce errant RF signals that affect others, so I would contact the local authorities if you get the “Hey Babe” routine. Hope that helps stop the buzzing in your ears, now if we could only figure out how to stop those pesky bees from humming.

 

I hope the bees are only humming happy tunes, up there in beautiful BC. Thanks again, till my next question, and I'm off on an RF quest!

 

Welcome Donna.

BTW, some of us aren't that smart, just read some of my posts.

 

Welcome to Major Geeks.

Steve

 

hehe, my car sterio did that for a while! Wish I saw this post earlier, think its at a bottom of some ravine , or Ocean somewhere in lala land BC! One time I heard my friend talking on a cordless with my fm radio in my car....Funny thing thing was. I couldn't even get that frequency normally. But I lie not it happened!
between me and all you....
I wish it would happen again...
Inside scoops are the best
thats it ....
Welcome donna

 

Thanks to all of you for your kind words of welcome and advice!