Cellular interference?

[Bengals]

This is a problem that's plagued me for a while now, every time I'm standing next to a set of speakers and my phone receives a call or text the speakers make a loud buzzing sound. And sometimes I don't even receive a call at all and my phone will just cause the speakers to freak out. Nobody else in the band seems to have this problem, is my phone just possessed or something?

[JehuJava]

I think it depends on the phone. I've had phones in the past do that.

[VanillaThundah]

Originally Posted by JehuJava

I think it depends on the phone. I've had phones in the past do that.

yup same here...sometimes it can be your pickups as well. When I change the channel on my tv, the remote will make weird noises come out of my amp if it's too close to the pickups lol

[semiprohooker]

I've used Android devices for years now and have always had problems near my wireless with them. When it's time to play they go on airplane mode. If it's that important someone will leave me a voicemail.

[JimmyM]

Turn your phone off?

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Turn your phone off?

^THIS.

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, is more annoying during a show than the mobile carrier wave coming through the PA.

It's not the speakers BTW, it's the wiring/amps/mics/pickups that catch the energy.

If the cellphone or any radio signal would carry enough juice to move a speaker, You wouldn't be there to witness it. Not in good health anyway.

Regards
Sam

[Matthijs]

I regulary play in a small bar with a ancient dynacord tube amp as a house amp. It seems to pickup every phone signal in the room. At first I thought it had something to do with my bass, but it's the same for my DB, EUB and EB.

Funny thing is I can tell what phone is causing the interference and wether a call is going to be coming in. One of our bandmember is a shrink, and used to be on call for all kinds of crises. I was able to tell a crises coming in before he does.

[MAMMOTHvolume]

put a lowpass in your bass ;p

[will33]

Originally Posted by semiprohooker

I've used Android devices for years now and have always had problems near my wireless with them. When it's time to play they go on airplane mode. If it's that important someone will leave me a voicemail.

Wierd, I use an Android. Never had this problem at gigs and I leave the phone laying on the gear with other stuff (it's also my clock) but I can hear when calls are coming in if laying in the dash underneath the car radio though. Perhaps better shielding helps. My basses are all well shielded. I assume my amps are as it's not a problem. I assume the car stuff is not. Could be wrong there though.

[dmusic148]

Originally Posted by will33

My basses are all well shielded. I assume my amps are as it's not a problem.

The metal case of most amps shields them.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Turn your phone off?

+1. But your speakers aren't affected. The phone generates a radio frequency and it's being received by your bass, amplified by your amp. If the phone's off it can't do so.

[Sifl]

When I had my Peavey Firebass connected to my 810, I would be a "pre-warning" buzz from the speaker letting me know I was about to receive a text message. My band got used to it and every time we heard the buzz, we'd all say "text message!"