radio 5 interference on phone since broadband

[sammyc]

is it just me picking up radio 5 on my phone line since i recently got broadband (BT)? there seem to be posts from people with problems with broadband/sky boxes/radio 5 & stuff in this general area, but can't find anyone else getting this particular thing, & it's really annoying me now... i've got all my microfilters, & using a belkin wireless connection to BT home hub router. trying to avoid calling BT for advice unless i can help it, in case they want to come round & fiddle with my cables & extensions.. I could do without the hassle! Any ideas...? Thanks!

[jimbouk]

How is it with only 1 normal phone plugged into the master socket and nothing else? If there's a problem there then it'll have to be a call to BT to try and get it sorted. If it's one of your extension cables picking it up then maybe only having them at certain angles to reduce the effect? I guess a long run would work as an aerial but I've never heard of it before...

[sammyc]

hi, thanks for your answer jimbouk - with 1 normal phone in the master socket it's ok, it's the extension that's the problem - however that's a fixed upstairs extension socket, not running from an extension cable. The main upstairs phone is an Amstrad emailer (don't laugh.. they are actually quite handy..) and the interference is worst on that - if I plug the main downstairs phone (which is a basic corded phone) in the upstairs extension, the interference is less but still there. ??

[charleski]

Try changing the wireless channel on your BT Home Hub. Your interference may be related to intermodulation distortion.

[sammyc]

hi charleski, at the risk of showing my ignorance.. changing channel sounds like a good plan but how do I do it?

[charleski]

I don't use BT, so I can only give you a link to what I found on Google.

Google=instant expert.

[sammyc]

will check that out tomorrow & post if anything useful comes of it! thanks again for your time & the suggestion, much appreciated.

[peterb]

As the problem disapperas when the exytensions are disconnected, it would ssem that the problem lies there. So if changing wireless channels doesn't fix the problem, you should look there.

First off, you should use good quality filters - BT spec ones, and they cost about £6.00 each. The cheapo ones really don't cut it if linee conditions are difficult. Everything connected to a phone line or extension should have a filter - and if yopu have multiple extensions and your router is by the incoming line (and you have a modern 'split face' master socket) is to get a filter plate for it, which filters all the sockets at source. Thet cost around £10 to £12. A Google search will find suppliers, Solwise is one and reasonably priced. There are other links on the "I'm too far from my exchange - help" thread.

Ypou should also look at the extension cabling itself. A poor connection can cause symptoms likme the one you specify. The main incoming line has two conductors - the mast socket generates a third wire, the bell wire. The be;ll wire is there for compatability and may not be needed in all installations, so that can be disconnected to see if that improves things. You could replace the extension cabling with cat5 cable - which will improve immunity to interference.

As the problem goes when you disconnect the extension, BT are unlikely to sort it out for free - extension wiring is your responsibility if you installed it - they will sort it - re-wiring etc, but therewill almost certainly be a charge.

[sammyc]

situation today so far, with a combination of trying various wireless channels and waving the actual phone lead around (which is quite long, so may be having the suggested aerial effect?? rather than the extension cable), i've got it to a much more tolerable level. does seem to vary over the day & i'd ideally like to get it down to nothing so i'll definitely look into the filter plate option. my current filters are the bt ones that came with the hub so should be ok. i'll move on to cable replacement &c if all else fails, but having got as far as this is a big improvement so thanks guys!

[merdat]

The reason your Amstrad Emailer is worst is because it is full of electronic stuff diodes etc and the phone prob is not that efficient at designing RF out. You may have a high resistance (bad connection on your extension wiring ) which is acting as a diode (antenna) and picking up the radio. You may have a BBC mast nearby or something like that. Reason I say this is because there is a wee village in my area which has a 900 ft mast and lots of people had to have filters fitted. As has been said before, check or renew your extn wiring or run out a test lead before you do this and see if it makes any differance . Bear in mind that most of these newer phones contain a certain amount of electronics and any radio interferance due to bad connections will be picked up.

[sammyc]

hi again, & thanks merdat for the info - i see what you're saying about the Emailer & why that's worst. is there a technical reason why it would only be like it now since i got broadband, & not before? not sure if we have got a nearby mast but will check it out. i've just been to the solwise site & downloaded their articles about wireless etc & am working through that information - but having double-checked my sockets i have actually not got a split face master downstairs, though the upstairs one is for some reason (all sockets were installed before my time). I guess i'd have to replace the master, but with only one the extension maybe a filter plate would not make enough difference to be worth doing?
one other thing - if i plug the emailer into the test socket upstairs & that improves things, (haven't actually tried it yet), what would that indicate & would i be able to leave it like that, at least temporarily, or would it affect something else somewhere?!

[peterb]

The Amstrad e mailer probably has fewer electronic components in thatn the router, and certainly far fewer than a computer! The reason it may (only may)be noisier than anything else is that they were built down to a price and so the screening is probably non-existent, or any filtering on the connections to keep intereference off those lines.

A broadband is more susceptible to intereference because signal levels are lower, the bandwidth (in Radio frequency terms is much higher (in the order of MHz) and so the system is more susceptible to any interference.

If you do find the Amstrad mailer is particularly 'noisy' you might try looping the line and power connections through some ferrite loops, (One for each cable) but it is a bit hit and miss, and probably something to do as a last resort.

With only one extension, a filtered face plate probably isn't worth it - but getting BT spec filters certainly is!