Mosquito Farts

[kenglish]

When listening to MW or SW, on quiet spots between the stations, do you often hear "mosquito farts"?
That's what I call them...it's random short duration bursts of noise, often with a tiny bit of hum. I suspect they are caused by thermostats, or the associated power relays, in HVAC systems. I figure there are 24 air conditioners and 24 hot water heaters in my apartment building, and there are many similar buildings adjacent to me.
They might also be random static discharges from nearby high voltage power lines.
Do you get these at home? If you are in stand-alone houses, do they happen rarely, as opposed to an MDU with a large number of units (and noise sources)?

 

[channel99]

When listening to MW or SW, on quiet spots between the stations, do you often hear "mosquito farts"?
That's what I call them...it's random short duration bursts of noise, often with a tiny bit of hum. I suspect they are caused by thermostats, or the associated power relays, in HVAC systems. I figure there are 24 air conditioners and 24 hot water heaters in my apartment building, and there are many similar buildings adjacent to me.
They might also be random static discharges from nearby high voltage power lines.
Do you get these at home? If you are in stand-alone houses, do they happen rarely, as opposed to an MDU with a large number of units (and noise sources)?

Depending on how short the noise is, one possibility are igniters in gas appliances, where they seem to be showing up more and more to avoid the need for a continuously burning pilot light, or as a pilot re-igniter.

 

[kenglish]

Depending on how short the noise is, one possibility are igniters in gas appliances, where they seem to be showing up more and more to avoid the need for a continuously burning pilot light, or as a pilot re-igniter.

I'll try listening under my hot water heater. I heard lots this morning, but not a lot this afternoon. If I hear it on mine, I know a couple of vacant apartments where I can check with the Sprague "Lil Snoop" detector.

 

[cyberdad]

I'll try listening under my hot water heater. I heard lots this morning, but not a lot this afternoon. If I hear it on mine, I know a couple of vacant apartments where I can check with the Sprague "Lil Snoop" detector.

The cable remotes on my TVs causes "mosquito flatulence". But those are manually operated devices.

The phenomenon you're talking about, if i understand you correctly, is random and 100% mechanical. I used to run into that a from time to time in hotels. Rooms next to the elevator, indoor pool/fitness center. or ice/vending machines were particularly vulnerable.

 

[radioman148]

The cable remotes on my TVs causes "mosquito flatulence". But those are manually operated devices.

The phenomenon you're talking about, if i understand you correctly, is random and 100% mechanical. I used to run into that a from time to time in hotels. Rooms next to the elevator, indoor pool/fitness center. or ice/vending machines were particularly vulnerable.

Yup, I remember it also from hotels. Quite prevalent there.

 

[cyberdad]

Yup, I remember it also from hotels. Quite prevalent there.

I think some hotels had a device on the intermittent noise sources that sensed when the unknown station you were DXing was about to go to its TOH ID.

 

[radioman148]

I think some hotels had a device on the intermittent noise sources that sensed when the unknown station you were DXing was about to go to its TOH ID.

Isn't that the truth? Brings me back to my younger days whenever I would be trying to ID a new station the static level or the fade always came up right before the ID. "Murphy's Radio Law"