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... Its not voices in your head.

I've always told my [computer] users that the only time a computer acts "weird" is when it levitates. Of course there are other weird things that can happen every day. Take this morning for instance.

I was reworking one of my [CBGs], had put everything back together and was testing the electronics to make sure I hadn't wiggled a wire loose. I plug up a practice amp, put the power on and nothing. Ok, so this is not unexpected, except there was some... noise. No, voices. Faint, but there. I figured it was coming from a TV that was on. I began to think my box was possessed.

As I fiddled with the volume controls, my pickup response showed up, so the electronics were still in tact. But when I turned the volume to 0, I could hear the voices again. As I moved my hand closer to the volume knob, the voices got louder -- until I heard John Boy and Billy [local radio personalities]! WTF?!?! My Ruby preamp that I built is picking up stinkin' radio! No kidding. It ceases if I increase the volume so it doesn't interfere with the pickup, but I can hear it clear as a bell.

Ok, this qualifies as weird.

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Permalink Reply by Dave Alexander on August 23, 2009 at 2:48am

How far away from the radio station are you? I worked at a station located at the tower site, and everything would pick up the AM signal. Cassette machines, audio boards, recorders. All of our commercials had ghosts in the background.

Foxhole radios from WWII amount to simple headphones and a razor blade. Guys could pull in just enough signal to run the headphones. No amplifier. Given the number of noise producing items in our environment, it's a wonder that this doesn't happen more.

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on August 23, 2009 at 3:29am

Wish I knew. I don't even know the station. Just the personalities. I guess this is why they shield pickups on guitars eh?

You know, I heard about that (foxhole radio). Kinda like a crystal radio... sorta.

Dave Alexander said:

How far away from the radio station are you? I worked at a station located at the tower site, and everything would pick up the AM signal. Cassette machines, audio boards, recorders. All of our commercials had ghosts in the background.

Foxhole radios from WWII amount to simple headphones and a razor blade. Guys could pull in just enough signal to run the headphones. No amplifier. Given the number of noise producing items in our environment, it's a wonder that this doesn't happen more.

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Permalink Reply by Joker on August 24, 2009 at 5:02am

Usuallyy those ruby/gem amps will pick up radio stations and other radio interference. By sheilding and grounding the circuit board willl make it go away. You can also sheild and ground your cbg electronics to cut down on noise

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on September 2, 2009 at 6:18am

AH HAH! Cordon Bleu! Quasimodo (and all that sort)! I found out why my CBG picks up radio...

... The strings weren't grounded. Ok, ok, so they should be I suppose, but when I built it, I didn't realize its importance. While adding my preamp back into my newly renovated first box, I noticed an extreme hum. Not problem -- ground the pot. Did that, no effect. Touch the strings -- hum goes away. Right. Ground the strings. So I ground the strings by grounding the bridge, which was metal, and voila! No hum. Also no FM reception. Keep in mind the strings weren't even touching the pickup directly or any other metal part. Must have been some kind of induction, capacitance, or other electronics word I've never heard of.

-Wes