Replies

1. 
   Wet_Head | May 25, 2003 06:29pm | #1

   such things can be bought but I suggest keeping a log and filing complaints with every infration until you get the FCC to act.  These guys are using liniear amps it sounds like.  Good chance they are running 100 watts instead of the legal 5.  I use bigger amps... responsibly!  Not in a residential neighborhood!

1. 
   BKCBUILDER | May 25, 2003 06:42pm | #3

    Ahh the good old days....in the 70's me and all my buddies had CB's, it was our version of the internet chat rooms....I had a linear, that when I keyed the mic, would screw up every TV in the neighborhood(back before "cable") Nice big Cobra base station, D-104 powermic, 100W linear on a groundplane, and 40 channels, plus side band, and then another 40 channels above legal we called the "extras"....you could talk skip if the weather was good. I remember talking to a buddy on the rim of the grand canyon with his family on vacation, while I was in my bedroom in Ohio..............more power to your neighbors!

1. 
   Wet_Head | May 25, 2003 06:45pm | #4

   I am just a 31 year old kid.  I have a 30 watt amp on a Cobra.

   I use it out in the desert here in CO.

1. 
   BKCBUILDER | May 25, 2003 07:12pm | #6

    I was posting to the original poster, sorry. But for some reason I get a chuckle out of the neighbors being obnoxious. It's like loud stereos in cars today, etc....  I had more fun and met sooo many people on the radio back then. Some I still keep in contact with. I sold all my equipment, and now have been scanning e-bay to reconstruct my set-up.....seems I do that with everything...sell it, then get nostalgic and try to find it again.

1. 
   Gunner | May 25, 2003 07:20pm | #7

   That's what your attic is for. To hold onto your stuff untill it's either in fashion again or your ready to play with it again. That's why my storage space is over flowing. No c.b.s though I'm done with those forever I guess. Who Dares Wins.

2. 
   villagehandyman | May 26, 2003 03:55am | #13

   thanks for all the feedback guys . i thought  i was friends with this guy i even helped him fix an anntena once and i have soldered some of his electronic gear when it broke.one time he came over with a really cool throwing knife that he had broken the tip off and i ground it on my stationary belt sander made it like new again. i thought we were at least good neighors.people are funny sometimes. i guess the right thing to do is try to find a way to filter or block him coming througt the wifes amp.a friend of mine pointed out that if i set somthing up to jamb his signal i might also be jamming the police or fire communications in the area and i am sure the cops wouldent like that.so i will just figure out how to do somthing to the amp. but i tell ya what next time he needs a favore he can forget it

2. 
   andybuildz | May 25, 2003 06:41pm | #2

   Try getting your wife a tower of Marshel amplifiers.....face it at that white trash guys house and teach her some Hendrix riffs cranked to 10  : )

   Be louder          

              Namaste

                          andy

    

    

   In his first interview since the stroke, Ram Dass, 66, spoke with great difficulty about how his brush with death has changed his ideas about aging, and how the recent loss of two old friends, Timothy Leary and Allen Ginsberg, has convinced him that now, more than ever, is the time to ``Be Here Now.''

   http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

1. 
   Gunner | May 25, 2003 06:54pm | #5

   Your wrong. You don't teach her Hendrix lyrics. You let her try to figure them out at full throttle. That's much more annoying then getting blasted by someone that knows the notes.

    On a sort of related story. I used to have a buddy that had an apartment over a bar. He would sit in his apartment and play his electric. On quite nights the patrons down stairs could here him. The only problem with Mark was he could play the intros really well and never bothered to learn the rest of the song. One night this drunk Knocked on his door and chewed his arse out because every time he would start a song the people down stairs would start getting into it then it would end. Then he would start another and bam, the same thing, after an hour they elected the drunk to go upstairs and tell him to finish the song or turn the dame thing down.Who Dares Wins.

2. 
   IMERC | May 26, 2003 03:09am | #10

   Star Spangled Banner.... Woodstock live.

1. 
   andybuildz | May 26, 2003 03:25am | #11

   Star Spangled Banner.... Woodstock live

   IMERC

             BINGOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! We rock...lol

   Be kick asz

                 Namaste

                             andy

   PS...you KNOw we hard corers are gonna have to have a Breaktime Fest of our own somewhere...hmmmm.......near NY maybe ? 

    

   In his first interview since the stroke, Ram Dass, 66, spoke with great difficulty about how his brush with death has changed his ideas about aging, and how the recent loss of two old friends, Timothy Leary and Allen Ginsberg, has convinced him that now, more than ever, is the time to ``Be Here Now.''

   http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

1. 
   SunnySlopes | May 26, 2003 03:48am | #12

   Actually it may not be your neighbors fault.  Now I do not know what equipment he/she is using and whether or not it is transmitting within its proper frequency range, but assuming it is a clean station then the problem lies within the equipment that is being affected. 

   Many receivers, whether being a TV, radio, receiver in a remote control car, etc. are designed and built around price.  That is, keeping the cost of the item down.   While not designing or incorporating filters within a device will not stop the device from functioning properly, it will however be subjected to interference from other transmitters that are transmitting a signal nearby.  This is not a design flaw.  There are many things that can be done to filter unwanted signals.  Contact a local amateur radio club and ask for information on how to eliminate radio interference.  This of course is one way to deal with this problem.  I doubt very much if the FCC would actually answer a complaint such as yours. Then best solution is to educate yourself on Radio interference. "One measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions"

1. 
   PhillGiles | May 26, 2003 06:15pm | #19

   While this may be true for the TVI, in the case of the radio-controlled car, it's probably using the same assigned frequency, 11m/27mc. This is just a fact of life; you either have to find a "quiet" area to run that frequency, or switch to a 53mc set-up.

   PS, I don't know the current rules in the US; but, TVI can often be solved with a simple filter that, here at least, the TV mfg/dist is supposed to supply for free..

   Phill Giles

   The Unionville Woodwright

   Unionville, Ontario

2. 
   JARG | May 26, 2003 11:14pm | #23

   Your problem might be that you don't know your neighbor well. I don't know much about electronics but if you are going to spend time trying to jam his radio at least spend time trying to reasoning with him, I am sure if he knows how to set up a cb radio system he will understand where you are coming from. Good luck.

3. 
   SunnySlopes | May 27, 2003 03:51am | #28

   Very true.  Most people are not radio magnetic wave savvy, and don't realize how crowded the air waves are and that many if not most civilian designated frequencies are not considered vital.  Therefore, there is not much room between them and as a result they bleed into one another.  This as I said could be avoided with better design and proper built in filters, but there we go again with the cost. 

   I do believe you are correct about contacting the manufacture and requesting a filter.  Normally the filter will either be a low pass or high pass filter.  They, the manufacture,  will either supply or provide information on obtaining one.  Radio shack comes to mind or an electronics store that deals with transceivers is a good place to start or just do a search on the net. 

   When using a remote control, you, the user of such a device must ensure it is not being interfered with before use.  It's a hard lesson when your RC car, plane etc. crashes due to interference. 

   But the fact of life as you said is so true.  The radio spectrum is only so big and only so much to go around.

   "One measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions"

4. 
   JohnSprung | May 28, 2003 03:08am | #31

   >  The radio spectrum is only so big and only so much to go around.

   True, and what's worse, the FCC's hands are tied in re-assigning frequencies by decisions that go back nearly 70 years.  It's a remodeling kind of problem, they have to work around the existing stuff.  Making room for the transition to digital TV and clearing the old channels 60 - 69 for re-sale hasn't been any picnic. 

   One thing that may help with the original problem of this thread is making sure that the house has a good solid ground path throughout, and a low impedance ground rod.  That'll often handle the amplifier problem, but not the remote controlled car problem.

   -- J.S.

2. 
   IMERC | May 26, 2003 05:18am | #14

   I'm sure they will tell us to turn the stereo down. You know how uncultured those New Yawkers can be. LOL..

   Got Country Weatern on.... [see I listen to both kinds of muisc] and my nieghbor, He says you got any thing American other than that crap. I say sure...

   Put on the "Star Spangled Banner" on timer so I can get clear of the house.

   POW.. Try Hendrix at 500 watts RMS and 132db at 1 watt. 10 to 36k frequency response with total harmonic distortion of .005%. Rich never said another word ever about what music I played. Four sets of Cerwin Vegas.

   I jam all the time.

   ROCK ON!!!

   Edited 5/25/2003 10:21:36 PM ET by IMERC

3. 
   Jeff | May 25, 2003 07:40pm | #8

   A few things.

   First, forget about the FCC, they have no money or interest in enforcement of the laws. Best you'll get is a letter sent to the person saying stop.

   Second, you could complain to the local TV and Radio stations. They have an interest in getting their programs to you.

   Third, the best way to Jam the signal is with either another signal

   on frequency with white noise, or a repeater causing feedback.

   Real easy to do with all the cheap cb equipment out there.

   Jeff

1. 
   WorkshopJon | May 26, 2003 05:51am | #15

   "First, forget about the FCC, they have no money or interest in enforcement of the laws. Best you'll get is a letter sent to the person saying stop."

   Don't want to highjack a thread, but ran into the same problem with the FAA. Some guy who lived ~1 mile away would hover in his helicopter over our property when the girlfriend at the time would have pool parties. ( Many bikini clad babes in their twenties in the pool every weekend). I called the FAA to complain, and they told me my house was probably in his approach path and they couldn't do anything (I live in the country and he would hover at ~100' for minutes at a time!). I'm not kidding. They told me to try to get the "N" #. off his aircraft, that was it.

4. 
   4Lorn2 | May 26, 2003 02:46am | #9

   Become friends with you neighbor. A minor complaint can then yield results and some reasonable accommodation.

   Complain to the FCC, local radio and TV stations.

   Check with any other people in the neighborhood. Collective action, perhaps even legal action, are all possibilities.

   When that fails:

   A good stun gun  applied to most electronic equipment fries the delicate components. Applied to the antenna it can blow the power transistors.  Magnetrons extracted out of microwave ovens can do much the same thing without any physical contact. Aiming and focus are the key. Gee I'm sorry to hear your not having any luck with you electronics. Are you sure your hooking everything up correctly?

   Chromic acid applied to a tower base or guy wires will rapidly corrode the structures. This stuff is available from any decent chemical supply house as a cleaning solution. Arranging it to fall on the neighbors house on the other side, the sociopathic gun nut, would be a nice touch.

   If you can get to any antenna connections, particularly coaxial connections, you can put a carpenters pencil to good use by drawing a dark line between the core conductor and shield.  A fine line over an insulators between the antenna and ground plane, depending on the type, can greatly reduce performance.

   A salvaged neon sign transformer, about ten dollars from a friendly electrician can be handy. Attaching a plug  and hooking it up as a autotransformer and back feed the panel and cause general destruction of electronics very similar to a lightning strike. Using his own power to do it is poetic.

   A needle slipped through he insulation around a window, who do radio heads always place their equipment near windows, can allow a quick injection of ammonia, the stronger available the better, into the vents.  Ammonia eats any exposed copper and aluminum commonly used in electronics. You need not use much. Just a thin stream. It takes a while.

   Look around for any shop using carbon fiber. In a pinch you can order a small quantity of carbon fiber. Finely dice the material, a blender works, and release the material near the electronics. The material in incredibly light and can float on moving air, like the air used to cool a linear, and settle on power circuits. The carbon fiber can short the circuit, heat up and melt into circuit boards. These shorts are seldom easy to find, they move around during diagnosis, and, if melted in, difficult to remove. We used the same general technique to blow the power grid in Iraq.

   All of these techniques have been proven to work at least some of the time. Results depend on the situation and the skill and determination of the practitioner.

   Of course most of these are not very nice and fairly illegal. They can also cause feuds that can get ugly. If we want to live in a lawful and polite society we have to play nice even when we are not forced to. Otherwise the either party can go outside of normal standards. We are civilized by choice and disposition not by the rules of physics. People with power over others, by way of lax FCC control (Thank-you Ronny) in this case, have to realize that their control is limited to people who see the law as neutral and representing all of the people.

   The governors govern at the consent of the governed.

1. 
   Jencar | May 26, 2003 10:54pm | #22

   Awesome...my tech-head son was highly amused/entertained/informed.

   Let me guess: you work for the CIA, FBI, Spec. Ops?

   "Our worst fates are realized through our interactions with others...hell is other people" Jean-Paul Sartre

2. 
   BillHartmann | May 27, 2003 05:27pm | #30

   The old, but simple trick, is to take a straight pin and stick it through the coax. Then cut off the head.

5. 
   Luka | May 26, 2003 09:20am | #16

   Make lemonade.

   Use the amp.

   Get the best reception you can of his chatter, and then amplify it to the neighborhood.

   I wonder how long he would take to get embarrassed enough to become concerned about your problem ?

   A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.

   Quittin' Time

1. 
   MarkH128 | May 26, 2003 02:29pm | #17

   Oh man that's funny!

   Get some MASH style PA speakers high on a pole with a big amp. Adjust the cones for just the right echo, also put a delay on it so he hears himself about 2 seconds after he speaks.

2. 
   villagehandyman | May 26, 2003 07:43pm | #20

   good idea i am going to set that up right now i will let you know how it works i bet it wont take long

1. 
   DanT | May 26, 2003 10:41pm | #21

   A man after my own heart.  I also believe that when neccesary, be the most obnoxious neighbor.  Here are a couple more.

   A straight pin slipped through the antenna coax so the outer sheild and the inner wire now touch.  Has an interesting effect when the mike is keyed.

   Clip the coax and back feed with 120v, one lead to the wire, one to the shield.

   Clip the coax and pour (use a funnel and gloves) sulfuric drain cleaner down the hollow section of the wire.  It will chemically fuse it together.

   A few of my usual neighbor is not nice items:

   Super soaker squirt gun filled with Roundup.  Any landscaping you want dies.

   Tear out the reader service cards from a few magazines of choice, check most boxes and send in with the neighbors address.  Amazing how much junk mail one can recieve.

   For a while you can order numerous delivery food for your neighbor.

   In some areas, mine for instance, you can ask for utility service to be suspended with just a phone call.  For repairs of course.

   Hope this fills the bill, I have some others if need be.  DanT

2. 
   Luka | May 26, 2003 11:26pm | #24

   I think Mark has a good point as well.

   I don't know how you would set up a second or two delay, but that would be very effective. I think that would make the effectiveness of the whole thing just about double.

   Leave it on 24/7, until he decides to do something about the problem. A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.

   Quittin' Time

1. 
   Luka | May 26, 2003 11:30pm | #25

   P.S.

   To keep better standing with the authorities, do not get a radio or some other similar setup, to intentionaly listen in on his frequencies.

   Just continue to make use only of what the amp itself unintentionaly pulls in. A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.

   Quittin' Time

1. 
   bill_1010 | May 27, 2003 01:11am | #27

   actually since they are broadcasting on designated citizen bands allocated by the FCC its not illegal to listen to the broadcasts since any basic scanner would be picking it up.

2. 
   Luka | May 27, 2003 05:28am | #29

   That wasn't my point.

   My point is that sticking the amp in the window at full blast is going to not only embarrass and annoy the neighbor.... It will annoy the neighborS.

   There will be a complaint about that noise.

   If the cops show up, the difference in what they will see will be thus...

   If he uses a cb radio to catch the frequency, and feeds that through the amp, then they will see him as simply pestering the neighbor for no good reason.

   If there is nothing done to intentionaly catch the radio frequency, then he has a leg to stand on with the police. eg that the neighbor is broadcasting in violation of the law. He has informed the neighbor of the problem with the amp, the car, etc... and the neighbor said tough sheet. He stuck the amp in the window, so the neighbor could hear for himself what the interference is like.

   In scenario one, he gets a reprimand, and told to cut it out or else.

   In scenario two, the police are invited to see that the real problem is the neighbor with the cb radio. He will still be told to stop, because of noise complaints from other neighbors. But in this case, the cb neighbor is very likely to get a house call from the officers in question as well. I'll bet he won't tell THEM, "tough sheet".

   A good heart embiggins even the smallest person.

   Quittin' Time

6. 
   r_ignacki | May 26, 2003 05:22pm | #18

   set this up pointing at his house:

   View Image
7. 
   GCourter | May 27, 2003 12:42am | #26

   You asked the cber about the FCC, why not ask the FCC?  The FCC will enforce the rules.  This is not a CB violation, the criminal is using an amp in VIOLATION of FCC rules.  Like someone said, document the times and problems and e-mail the FCC, if needed do it daily.

8. 
   ampermc | May 28, 2003 08:47am | #32

   It shouldn't be too hard to find plans for an electromagnetic pulse gun in the Internet. You could very easily fry his entire setup, thus performing a public service. I'm mildly interested in amateur radio (my GMRS callsign is WPWN327), so people that ignore the rules piss me off.

   Unfortunately, I couldn't do this at my wedding. The reception took place on the top floor of a building that hosted a commercial radio/TV antenna, which caused some pretty annoying interference with the amplifiers and PA system of the very expensive band I hired. Fortunately, once the room was filled with people and the band was actually playing, it wasn't noticed.

   As a musician, I can tell you that you should probably have a good amp tech look over the amp and a good guitar tech look over the instrument to make sure everything is properly shielded and grounded. That will make the most difference to the music. Sorry I can't help with the RC toys, that's not my thing.

   Also, I have a recording studio setup in my house, so as a musician, the interference would really, *really* piss me off.

   In my expereince gigging, I've had to deal with some pretty bad interference problems. Proper shielding/grounding will eliminate just about any interference that you're likely to encounter. Unfortunately, if the transmitter is powerful enough, it'll get through that, too, but at least you'll get your wife's amp and instrument in top-notch working order.