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30874
October 2nd, 2004 19:00
Morse Code from ghosts
Hi all! I'll preface this by saying I'm really not nuts.
About 4 weeks ago after a power outage, a loud, andI mean loud series of Morse Code beeps comes blasting over my computer at exact times, 5 minutes apart, twice and hour all day, all night. It's not a BIOS type beep, it's a LOUD 7-10 note series of Morse Code that lasts about 2 seconds and is so loud it distrorts the picture on my monitor. It happens even when the computer is OFF. It isn't affected by turning down the sound on the comp, and if I unplug the speakers it blasts from the inside of the monitor (I'm assuming there are speakers there, I know nothing). I have called the electric company 16 times, and they've been out twice and assured me it's not them. I have no electronic anything by the comp. Today it's happening at :13 and :18 minutes after each hour; a few days ago it was :50 and :55. Etc. No one else is here but me, nothing is running that would be kicking on that these times -the landlord hasn't changed a thing to the building and neither have I. So I'm wondering -.is this something with the computer itself? It's so loud I have to leave the room when it's Eruption time. Once in a while it'll be quiet for a few days, then it'll be faint for a day, then loud again, there's no predicting it. I unplugged the DSL, that had no effect either. So, it's either the comp I figure or the electricity but ConEd are such miserable people I can't even get them to talk to me any more, they say I'm the only one complaining, and one apartment for some "surge" isn't worth their trouble (tho they came out, and said all the lines were fine). Any ideas? I'm ready to get rid of the comp. I do have a very good $urge protector on it, and have had it on. Past that I'm out of ideas and my nerves are shot. Thank you so much for any help!
zool
78 Posts
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October 2nd, 2004 20:00
How Can I Determine What In My Desktop is Making Noise will provide you will a fair number of troubleshooting tips.
After digesting those, I would disassemble the computer and the monitor and take them to a friend's house, preferably on the other side of town, away from the ConEd transfer station which supplies your flat. If the beeps continue, then that would be sad. However, if they disappeared, then you could assume something about either ConEd's electrical power supply line, or something other.
The something other could be anything from a nearby radiostation transmitter, or a relay tower (for any kind of waves, most likely a hamradio operator, though), to a malevolent boyfriend with super-spy paraphernalia such as a toy walkie talkie.
zool
Message Edited by zool on 10-03-2004 12:04 AM
Wrenna
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October 3rd, 2004 19:00
Hiya Zool
I've tried it all but will again...thanks for the info! They've been putting in new cable TV/digital upgrades for whatever around the area and I'm sure it's got something to do with it. The last few days the comp was fine and quiet but the bedroom radio was blasting "code" on the hour; just a few hours ago the comp is back to beeping. I'll keep checking, it was just good to know I wasn't nuts or being beamed at by Alien death rays. Thanks for your help!
DavidGregg
73 Posts
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October 3rd, 2004 19:00
It sounds to me as though you should research your local area for transmitter towers. You wrote: "...but the bedroom radio was blasting "code" on the hour". If your "code" is interferring with all radio, television and computer reception, something STRONG is transmitting somewhere. I would think that there would be others too in your neighborhood who would be experiencing similar problems.
If the transmission of the beeps is THAT STRONG, then the FCC needs to be notified.
DavidGregg
MichaelCretired
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1.3K Posts
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October 4th, 2004 11:00
Wrenna,
Thanks for using the Dell Community Forum.
Can you give us specifics on the hardware such as what model computer, monitor and so on.
Wrenna
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October 6th, 2004 19:00
Hiya.
Talking to the FCC is a good idea; I'll look into it. Someone from the phone company came out and checked my lines, and said he couldn't check the one I'm on because I have DSL and there wasn't a filter on it (he was just hearing static, not a dial tone). I do have a filter on it and the other phone. So I called the DSL people to ask if this could be the problem, maybe my filters are damaged or they send people garbage, so I'm getting some kind of feedback? They said no, of course not, it's not them. They said they didn't send out any kind of signal to check to see if people are online or if the connection is OK and I somehow doubt that.
The only other clue I've managed to find is I pulled up AIM and had IMs "forward to mobile" just to see what would happen. When I IMed my cell phone, which was outside on the porch a good 60 feet from the computer, the beeps came blasting thru as I sent the IM (so isn't that some kind of data transmission thing with the DSL?). I sent a reply back from my cell to AIM (it's weird IMing yourself...) and the beeps came back as the message went thru to the computer to the phone.
It's been a bit quieter, it literally was twice and hour all day, all night for weeks; now it's now and then, a bit quieter but longer beeping. Last night the comp beeped and so did a little radio I had sitting about 6 feet away that was on, battery run. Right now it's been totally gone since I've been online, maybe 5 hours. As soon as it comes back I'll check the equipment again and move the comp to another room just to see, but I'm sure it's some outside something-or-other. I talked to 3 neighbors but they don't have computers, and are all retired so now think I'm nuts even if I am polite
Thanks for the help and info!
zool
78 Posts
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October 7th, 2004 20:00
"Last night the comp beeped and so did a little radio I had sitting about 6 feet away that was on, battery run"
To my way of thinking, that is definitely something being transmitted over the air waves.
Call your local Building Inspector's Office and ask about permits that have been granted recently for transmitting over the air waves.
Also, is it possible that workmen in the area may be transmitting on some frequency that might interfere with a wireless network card.
Do you have one of those?
You should provide Michael-Dell with the information that he seeks. It might prove to be useful.
zool
Wrenna
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October 24th, 2004 18:00
Hi all. Well, I got it, finally. I called the FCC and also the housing inspectors. Long story short they were very helpful and someone came out from the village I live in to look at the building, heard the beeps and went "holy cow..every HOUR??!". It turns out that 4 blocks away they are building a huge strip mall, which I knew about but they haven't done a thing over there for a long time. Something was over there, messing with Over Here. Someone called me to tell me this and asked if the noises stopped. They have! I said wow, what was it? He said "Equipment". I said yeah....alien beamers? Death ray? Microwave tower? He said it's been taken care of and gave me a number to call if it starts up again. I guess it was a big secret, the FCC guy was kind of "men in black"-like. :smileywink:
Thank you so very much for your help, if I was losing my marbles it was nice that I had company!
Wrenna