Just a guess, There is a general "arcing" characteristic of Fluorescent ballasts. The wide frequency range emissions created by these arcs act much like lightning to an AM radio signal. As the spectrum is wide enough, but varying amplitude, any amplitude modulated signal would be likely effected, but a frequency modulated signal would be relatively immune. As radios are massively amplifying extremely low-level signals (often micro-volts/meter), it doesn't take much interference to make a big difference. Note, an FM radio is still sending alternating current to its speakers, in essence, amplitude-modulated intelligence with wide frequency variance. Any powered speaker (that is amplifying its input: e.g., a poorly-shielded line-level input) could expect interference as well. R.L.
To: [email protected] From: [email protected] Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:31:16 -0500 Subject: [Vo]:Why do florescent lights make the radio buzz? Why do florescent lights make the radio buzz? Older starters and bulbs emitted a lot of RF energy at about 1 mega-hertz. This signal is modulated at 60 HZ. I am interested because: These bulbs contain a heavy slow moving gas mercury and a light fast moving gas helium or other internet. The interaction between the fast and the slow nucleons resembles that between the dissolved deuterium/hydrogen and the metal lattice within cold fusion experiments. The low pressure in the bulbs extends the mean free path of the gas a bit. The product of the frequency and bulb length is one megahertz-meter. Any ideas about the buzzing, where it comes from, and how to enhance it??? Mike Carrol where are you, you would know?? Frank Znidarsic
