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CELL TOWERS AND RADIOS

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CELL TOWERS AND RADIOS

Old 04-19-2008, 06:51 PM
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fritoman
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Default CELL TOWERS AND RADIOS

Does anybody know if cell towers interfere with 75mhz my rudder will turn by itself fail safe turns on idles boat then it will work again a pain in the butt tower is about 1000 yards away ,i have a fataba T3PM FM radio any ideas thanks
Old 04-19-2008, 06:58 PM
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Ron Olson
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Default RE: CELL TOWERS AND RADIOS

They shouldn`t, especially at that distance. If it is bleeding over into the 75 Mhz frequency then the tower would be in violation of FCC rules.
It could be your radio.
Old 04-19-2008, 07:07 PM
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fritoman
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Default RE: CELL TOWERS AND RADIOS

Thanks for your time guess i'll check out the radio
Old 04-19-2008, 07:21 PM
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Default RE: CELL TOWERS AND RADIOS

One of the ponds that I run at has a cell phone tower about 600 or so feet away and never has a problem there.
If you have another place to run at, go there and see if you're getting any hits on your radio.
Old 04-19-2008, 08:21 PM
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fritoman
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Default RE: CELL TOWERS AND RADIOS

I'lltry that my reciever antena is connected to a steel antena that came with the boat that shouldent hurt anything should it
Old 04-19-2008, 09:08 PM
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Default RE: CELL TOWERS AND RADIOS

I have run with a group many a time at a site that is literally 20 feet from a large tower installation. There were some glitches with AM (as there are at most sites) but FM seemed to run normally.
Old 04-20-2008, 04:07 AM
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Default RE: CELL TOWERS AND RADIOS

Radio interference is strange stuff.
It doesn't necessarily have to get in via the aerial. With a bit of BF&I it can get into any metal component, and if there is a semiconductor there, it can be resolved into a signal, much like the old cats whisker crystal sets. This then gets amplified by the rest of the circuit. In cases like that, it doesn't matter whether its AM, FM, gazillions of gigahertz or wired direct.
Being at the base of a cell tower would probably put you in an area of minimal signal strength - further out, it depends on the height of the tower and the design of the antenna and the power being transmitted.
Old 04-20-2008, 04:23 AM
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cowana
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Default RE: CELL TOWERS AND RADIOS

Connecting your ariel to a steel extension amplifies the signal a bit. This could amplify glitches and cause more glitches.

Hope this helps,

cowana
Old 04-20-2008, 06:28 AM
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Default RE: CELL TOWERS AND RADIOS

I tried yesterday to see exactly which radio that you have. If it is an FM system it very well could be that added antenna messing you up and throwing it out of tune.
Old 04-20-2008, 07:17 AM
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LtDoc
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Default RE: CELL TOWERS AND RADIOS

fritoman,
The likelihood of that cell tower being the problem is very small. It would be more likely to see problems when using a cell phone near an R/C model, which is about as unlikely as the tower. That certainly doesn't rule out your radio from getting interference from somewhere, just not the 'C' tower.

About using an extension on your receiver. I seriously doubt if it would be the reason for the 'glitches' as long as the connection is a good one. If that connection isn't very good, it it sort of 'wiggles', then it could possibly be a problem. "mfr02" sort of covered that in his post. That sort of thing is called "bi-metal" rectification and results from two different metals rectifying a current and producing an unwanted signal in a circuit. Or, because the connection isn't 'good'/firm or is intermittent for whatever reason, as in it ain't soldered very well (or two wires twisted together real tight). Corrosion happens, there's that 'bi-metal' thingy again. Possible, just not too likely. I think your best bet would be to look around for another signal source (or lack of a signal source) for that 'glitching'.

To carry this to a sort of 'extreme', the differences in conductivity between various metals commonly found in electronics is negligible. One doesn't conduct any better than another for all practical purposes. Not something to worry about, at least at any R/C frequency.

And before I get too carried away with all this, I'll quit. Lack of enough coffee can make for some really 'far out' ideas at times. I ain't had enough yet.
- 'Doc

PS - Me and ol'Einstien had a lot in common, besides gray hair... neither of us cared for water skiing much.
Old 04-20-2008, 09:27 AM
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fritoman
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Default RE: CELL TOWERS AND RADIOS

Thanks for every ones input, its nice to tap in to everyones knowledge.I bought a new spectrum 2,4 found out it wasen't worth anthing in a boat ,you coulden't get 200 feet away and loose signal i was ticked,so i traded it to a friend for his futaba. The connection i made was a good solder joint and heat shrink,maybe i just diden't set up the radio right it has about 50 pages of instructions and 60 differnt channels

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