[time-nuts] Microwave Ovens...

Burt I. Weiner biwa at att.net
Mon Jan 18 18:23:20 UTC 2010


I used to work in TV News.  I think it was channel 8 of the 2 GHz 
microwave band that we used for ENG where we had intermittent 
interference  that was credited to microwave ovens.  Once I was 
tempted to light up a weak and fluttery signal on channel 8, 2 GHz 
transmitter and feed it with a camera looking at a Fluroscope screen 
(you remember those from the shoes stores) that showed a chicken 
skeleton on a plate rotating.  It was real tempting, but I never got 
around to doing it.  Rats, another opportunity missed!

Burt, K6OQK

At 08:29 AM 1/18/2010, time-nuts-request at febo.com wrote
>I specifically tested for that at the time (even though I did not pull the
>spectrum analyzer to verify) and I was able to run the laptop (a Dell D400
>running in B/G mode) about 3 feet right in front of the oven without obvious
>network access problem.
>
>The router was in the next floor up, but pretty much right above the laptop,
>so the signal was strong either way.
>
>Knowing how much the frequency drifts on these magnetrons, I may just have
>been lucky, but actually that proves the point. If the spectrum was very
>wide, the stability would not matter so much.
>
>I tend to consider Panasonic to be one of the more responsible consumer
>product company. Their products are consistently rated among the most
>reliable in the commercial world, not that it means a whole lot with regards
>to EMI.
>
>Didier
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On
>Behalf Of Chuck Harris
>Sent: Monday, January 18, 2010 12:21 AM
>To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
>Subject: Re: [time-nuts] 4 KV Power Supply Recommendations
>
>Ever see the spectrum of a typical microwave oven that is powered by a
>switching power supply?  It is so broad and messed up that it will wipe out
>the wireless routers that share the same band.  At least the old style ovens
>had a fairly narrow 60Hz spur somewhere around 2450MHz.
>
>-Chuck

Burt I. Weiner Associates
Broadcast Technical Services
Glendale, California  U.S.A.
biwa at att.net
K6OQK 




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