[BC] (Fwd) cell phone interference?

[WFIFeng@aol.com]

In a message dated 05/02/2005 06:37:11 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
rueger at community-media.com writes:

> Should I start asking interviewees to switch their phones completely 
>  off while I record, or am I just nuts.  

It is *very* likely! The RF being emitted by that cell phone could be being 
picked-up by the electronics inside the recorder. If they object, "I'll put it 
on SILENT" that won't cut it, because the phone still emits RF to acknowledge 
every signal it gets from the tower. It must be switched *off* to prevent this.

Note, also, that this effect will *vary*. The phone's electronics 
automatically compensate for weak incoming signals by boosting their own transmit power, 
to ensure that the tower can receive them. So, the farther a user's phone is 
from a cell site, the more interference is likely to come from that phone.

Willie...