My Uncle is a HAM radio operator & his system would always screw with his neighbors stuff (TV & radios) up to a 1/2 mile away, so he had to dial down has 50,000wt system, but even then sometimes his neighbors stuff still go wiggy on them.
Your neighbor could be a HAM radio operator & may not want to tell you because then you would ask him to turn down the power...he could have his antenna hidden, they don't need a big tower to broadcast.
1st you need to find out if it is that neighbor, could be someone yards away. Where to start is the car radio on the same channels your having toubles with on the Onkyo, does it have the same problem?? YES/NO....
If Yes drive around the block to isolate the problem house.
If NO get/barrow a boombox (a manual radio dial box would be best) that has batteries & is also able to be pluged into the wall, find a radio station that is having the problem. Walk around the house, also try all the wall outlets, make sure to go outside the house too. Use the radio to isolate the hot stops on your property.
If all points to the neighbor you think it is coming from, you going to have to ask him, agian, what high power 'thing' is he running.
I think you have a HAM radio operator 'near' you. You could try getting a few sqft of Brass mesh to block what is coming at your house, but that would also block any radio that your tring to get that come from the same direction. I would get a few sqft of Brass mesh & play around with it, just need to find that 'sweet' spot that would block the neighbors 'stuff' & you still keep your radio stations.
& ask your other neighbors if they are having any problems, too.
Please read this and help me if you have any ideas.
I am experiencing suspected intentional interference in my home audio operation from a troublesome, highly technically knowledgeable neighbor and would like some advice on how to detect the source and hopefully how to stop it. I have 3 Onkyo TX8511 receivers on different floors of my house, with Onkyo DX-C390 CD players attached, along with 4 speakers, some with long leads, with each system.
FM radio reception with each system operates satisfactorily throughout the day until the neighbor comes home, and then at select times individual systems, or all of them, display periodic and repeated volume fade-out followed by a return to normal, brief and startling volume 5-fold increases, and sometimes volume from all systems ceases for up to 10 minutes at a time (so far).
I checked with my usual FM radio station and there is no problem with their broadcasting cutting out. I tried other stations and seemed to get similar results. I then reverted to using the CD players (instead of the FM tuners) which worked fine most of the time as well, but by the next day I again experienced the same select period interference - fading, volume increase, and silence, not in any regular order but always at similar times to the FM disruption. These episodes occur over extended periods mostly during weekday evenings to late night, and on weekends, always at specific times that would most upset my wife and me. I have reoriented my antennas numerous times, replaced speaker wires, and have even physically relocated the receiver/CD players to new locations on each floor several times, and to different AC outlets to no avail. I believe I have exhausted all normally expected explanations for these disruptions.
From a lengthy history, I have reason to believe that my neighbor could be using some type of signal generator or other device to purposely disrupt my audio systems to cause disruption and personal distress. His education, professional work experience and personal motivation would give him the knowledge, and access to necessary equipment, to undertake this. Our homes are separated by no more than 20 feet and both homes are of conventional wood frame construction. He is not a CB or shortwave radio enthusiast.
My limited knowledge tells me that this suspected signal transmission must focus on either the electronics within the receivers themselves, my electric power and the power cords to the units, or the speakers and wires from the receivers.
Anybody familiar with these Onkyo receivers, the spec sheet says that power output is 100 watts per channel with both channels driven from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, the frequency response is 20-30,000 Hz, and the FM tuner frequency response is 30-15,000 Hz. I am no expert on the relevance of these operating parameters but believe at least one of them will be significant to my predicament.
I provide these details because I would like to test for the presence of any spurious or normally unexpected signals being directed toward my house and these units that could be causing the repeated disruptions. I have a spectrum analyzer but need guidance as to what frequencies to monitor for that might be intentionally directed to, and could be causing these disruptions. Again, my neighbor is highly technically educated and trained and it is not beyond the realm of credibility that my suspicions are valid. Contact with the FCC has indicated that I will need to do my own detective work and locate the suspected illegal transmitter before they would take any action. I intend to pursue this until successful. Also, local authorities have little ability in this technical area but will be contacted for prosecution when my suspicions are substantiated.
I assume this is a unique problem not presented before on this forum. Please if you have any serious ideas, thinking out of the box from normal home audio disruption questions, please help me. My wife and I would be greatly appreciative for your positive suggestions and insights. Thanks.
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