I can't bring myself to assign much credibility to this video. It sounds like a recording of a white noise generator that has gone through a high pass filter. The fact that the narrator is overdubbed on the first part of the video proves, at least, a minimal alteration of the original recording. The narrator stating that the hissing that you hear and the chaos of noise being caused by "radio frequencies" makes the entire video questionable. Radio frequncies are far to high for humans to hear.

Looks hokey to me. The number of wires on that pole looks more like intercity instead of in the country 8 miles from any amenities. The sound is close to a white noise generator that my wife uses sometimes when she sleeps.

Although there could very well be a hidden agenda, it is also possible that these are real people suffering from something they do not understand and they go to the internet for answers. Of course they will find all sorts of loony things, but they don't have the knowledge to filter out the junk.

A few factoids:

DSL obviously has nothing to do with this. It runs on the telephone lines and is balanced to ground. If it becomes unbalanced, it would stop working or the performance would be degraded causing a repair call. Even so, the energy level is not high enough to cause any noise.

There is a new internet service called Broadband Over Power Lines. This is experimental and is capable of causing interference to Amateur, commerical, and international broadcast frequencies. I don't know the details of the power levels, but to get radio frequencies down a power line does take some power since the power lines are very inefficient at radio frequencies. Poor connections might cause enough rectification to produce some noise as in the case below of AM broadcast stations, but I wouldn't think it would have enough power to become audible throughout the house. This experimental technology seems to be failing to get any support and will probably die out due to better options being available.

There have been instances of noise coming from metal objects including household plumbing caused by close proximity to a high power AM broadcast transmitter. Any two metals with poor bonding can act as a detector of AM signals causing them to demodulate and vibrate the metal. I doubt this is the issue, because this normally causes a low fidelity sound that contains the audio the station is broadcasting. I have encountered cases of "singing toilets" and "singing electric stove tops" due to this problem. There are ways to fix it. If there is some other high power transmitter nearby that is sending data, this might be a cause as the noise would be difficult to define.

Of all the posts here, I think the one that suggests it is a noise produced by some failing bearing in machinery may be on to something. If the machinery is attached in any way to the house's plumbing, sound can travel a great distance that way.

My advice would be to find a local Ham or Ham radio group and ask for their help. Usually ham clubs have a few technically knowledgeable people who might be willing to help. If they don't know any, contact the A.R.R.L. and they can point them toward a local club (www.arrl.org).

I'm not a biolologist or medical professional so I am not qualified to comment on the biological effects of anything. Nevertheless, we know smoking is associated with health damage because simple statistics indicate that. Simple statistics should tell us something about the danger from RF and EM fields. Do the professionals who work around these fields and RF radiation have a higher rate of morbidity or mortality than people who do not? The statement that the DSL signal travels on the utility's neutral conductor is not true. I can imagine that a DSL signal could be improperly earth grounded but that would be rare. Otherwise, 'dirty power"-power with harmomics, is not the fault of the utility but is caused by the non linear loads of the users. But, one point is accurate: It is possible to multiplex any number of frequencies-including DC-on any conductor. Any conductor can carry multiple frequencies of power or signals or both as long as any frequency remains below that of deep infra-red light uless the conductor has optical properties.

Mike, this is sort of close to a discussion I have been having lately about the so called power saving devices such as the one made by continental power for residential application. They claim it corrects power factor, provides surge protection, and filters EMF and RF. My position is that this type of device is pure snake oil. I don't think you can have caps and MOVs in the same box, most utility companies charge by KWH so factor correction won't save you any money and I don't think EMF and RF filtering in a home would have much if any benifit. What do you and the other folks out there think of these devices?

As someone who is operative in electromagnetic interference investigation (primarily industrial and research environments), and with a parallel background in environmental health, I too was approached and asked to provide assessment services by the person who submitted this video. She made a strong initial impression, and her story at first sounded credible, but the longer she talked (which was a long time), the more clearly the truth emerged. This is indeed a very confused individual, to put it mildly. I would not dispute that she is experiencing something unpleasant and troubling, but it is unequivocally not what she so strongly claims it to be. There may be an undiscovered acoustic noise source in the vicinity, or there may be an undiagnosed medical or psychiatric condition. However, the lumping together of "dirty electricity", DSL, power frequency magnetic fields, and radio frequency exposure, and the attempt to tie all these to acoustic noise, is beyond the reach of any science-based explanation.

Most (but not all) of the literature references cited by the author are credible, and describe observed interactions of electromagnetic phenomena with human physiology. But they are not supportive or relevant to the experiences she describes. The narrative is simply a large collection of terminology from divergent fields of investigation, used completely out of context, with the hope that enough technical words will make a convincing argument.

As if the above points were not enough to drive away any potential service providers, just look at the very long list of people and organizations that she lists at the end of the video. This crude and blatant shaming of professionals is certainly not the way to elicit sympathy or assistance for one's problem. The only thing these people are guilty of is not allowing themselves to become a part of her problem, whatever that may be. This alone should be sufficient reason to cast this video into the waste bin and stay far, far away.

electricity is power to us. You use it every day for a job household use ect..Believe me your thoughts are somewhat parinoid. This is by no means new and for the most part has been maybe better than the past. Is the noise coming for outside? (have utiliy check arestors connections,tracking, friend down the road, ect.) Inside? (check connections, loads, dimmers.) call in a good electrician. I seen a stupid dimmer make noise on a whole block. Don't fury your utility.Electricity Is To Taken For Granted use it safely. An AM band radio may be a usefull tool to sniff it out. DO YOU PART

Thanks, pete

electrian 10 years lineman 7 years

Charlie Kanjecki, District Health Officer from Northampton, Ma is someone who would be defending the people who have ignored our pleas for help and would have a vested interest in discrediting me and my family. If it is you Charlie, then shame on you because if you were truly informed about this situation you would know that your colleague at the Department Of Public Health in Boston believes that are serious problems here and is in the process of getting the case re opened. The evidence he has in his possession proves the Utilities are the source or sources. The DEP has failed to complete the proper pure tone testing according to the MA NOISE POLLUTION LAWS. This is way over your head.

All "health issues" regarding electricity, I dont mind a bit, since most are unsubstantiated. However, the author did point out that their utility is delivering "dirty power". Since there was no mention how the test was conducted, I cannot side with anyone in this issue. However, I would like to point out that harmonics in the power system is everybody's concern, not just the homeowners, not just the utilities. If the people concerned worked towards solving this problem, most of the other issues would be solved as well.

I think that I read somewhere that a problem with early generation large windmills was that they made a lot of aerodaynamic noise but at a much lower volume than a helicopter. What I have heard is that it took a lot of tinkering get large wildmill blades to go around without creating loud whooshing noises,

I am continuously amazed at suburban and rural residents who believe that once they have esxtablished their homestead, the advance of civilization should cease. This applies, not only to residents who object to the hum of distribution transformers, but those who think that cell towers that are miles from thier home destroy "their" vista of the mountains. Their is a legitimate claim when a toxic waste dump or a pig farm tries to move next door... but roadways, powerlines, and cell towers serve everyone. One family does not have the right to halt progress because their pristine habitat may be disturbed.

How was the noise measured? With a micophone, direct connection of an audio meter to a phone line? Inside the home? Next to the power line junction pole shown? What is meant by "Pure Tones?" Sounds like nothing pure but a combination of frequencies. thanks

After review of the original post and the reply posts i offer the following. 1. I agree with the posts by Bob & Charles. 2. I believe one of the easiest ways to track this down is to eliminate potential sources by removing them one at a time until the noise hopefully ceases. (a)Start by observing, monitoring the reported noise. (b) Start turning off circuit breakers in the house main panel beginning with the 2 pole breakers and then the single pole's until all circuits are off finish by opening the main last. (c) Disconnect the telephone line next by unpluging the Jack at the customer interface box or having the phone service tech disconnect the incoming cable completely (d) Next disconnect the cable TV incomming cable at the ground block jack outside the house. 3. If the noise is still present after this you can turn your efforts to locating an outside source for the noise. Those should be fairly easy to determine and locate the direction they are comming from. 4.The list in item #5 are a few things that could be the outside source. (Don't laugh at the first one because it is a real possibility and was actually the source of a noise problem reported by many residents in a smal town in north Georgia.) The complaint by all was that it was a loud whining noise 24 hours a day coming from a city water pumping located at the river. The noise continued for several months and cost the city considerable time and moneys verifying that all of their electrical pumping equipment and VFD's were operating OK and not the source. The source of that noise was finally identified when all the Locusts finally mated and died. It was the year of the locust. 5. Locust,---High Voltage Transmission Lines nearby,---- Pumping station nearby with VFD's,----Sawmill nearby,---Industrial plant,----or a bad bearing on the earth's axis which God hasn't fixed yet.

Good luck if none of these are the cause. LL

Completely aside from the claims about DSL, EMFs, etc. I can completely understand being driven batty by ambient noise. About four years ago I moved to a location above a river valley where there is a constant low roar. My theory is that the valley/bluffs serve as a giant amplifier for everything that happens down there. The roar is likely thanks to traffic on the multiple interstate highways in the valley. Also, there is a large railyard in the valley about three miles from my house (I live about a mile from the top of the bluffs): I can hear it when they ram cars together to hook them up. Basically, it is never quiet.

I don’t know if this is the case in every state, but where I am noise is a nuisance regulated by the state pollution control agency. In my experience, noise can be well past what a reasonable person would perceive as a nuisance threshold, but still be well within PCA limits when it’s actually measured. If Dr. Becker is in a situation where is he is being asked to just live with a nuisance that should be addressed by a regulatory agency, but they can’t or won’t deal with it, I can see some justifiable anger on his part. That said, if his home is that remote the agency probably has much bigger fish to fry, i.e.: cases that affect many more people to a much greater degree.

As a compliance engineer, I certify my employer's products to CISPR11, 12, 22,24, and the CFRs that are refered to as 'FCC' (mostly part 15 and 68).

Unless there is empirical data, this is just another example of Bad Science - e.g., cold fusion...

Mike, the use of an AM radio is classic and almost a standard tool to use, especially if it as a low quality radio that is easily swamped by e noise. I use one to locate sources of VFD noise. Another thing---lots of e noise is from low energy arcing between the many wires on poles that are not current carrying items, like guy wires. These things are indifferently grounded and even if grounded, they are not bonded together. Ground is a relative thing and small stray voltages cause low energy arcing of these wires touching each other. The AM radio picks this up right away. No one considers this, in my view.

I am unable to view video at work, but I have a question: Does the noise increase with humidity? Check this link: http://www.eeh.ee.ethz.ch/uploads/tx_ethpublications/roero_ISH2005_tonal_noise_emission.pdf

deal with it or go move to the moon

w6cwj@earthlink.net

Ok Mike....so your trying for a New Low Point. I think your watching to many YouTube video's. Don't have any real work to do??

Come on this is crap, a picture of a pole and noise to go with it.

Let me guess, next week it's the sound of a toilet flushing and a video of it also. DSL, and all forms of telecommunication, including wireless, are keeping this guy awake......hahaha. Tell him he needs to change his medication and hit him on the head with a baseball bat and he'll sleep all night.

Only the Lord knows what's next.

My computer temporarily not playing sounds. Will try later.

What is the frequency of this sound? Knowing that can help find the source.

When induction motors are started using a variable frequency drive to start at low frequency and then ramp up to high frequency, the motor makes a high pitched whine until the rotor starts turning at 15 Hertz ( 1/4 nominal speed ).

So if I own a home with High Tension Power Lines running right behind my house.......my family is in danger of health issues?

this is an area that deffinately needs to be studied

There are likely some pebbles of truth in this long article. Sadly, the author uses so many global statements (which are seldom correct), half truths and emotional "baiting" that I feel compelled to ingnore his discussion.

Another hysterical mindless subgroup to add to the mindless "man is causing climate change" crowd - probably many of the same nuts involved in both. Jim

I don't think that vid is accurate!! I have to agree with some earlier posts, sounds more like an industrial noise to me or maybe motor noise from the recorder itself. I gotta call" BS" on this one!! Sorry.

WHAT?? How do we get from DSL to dirty power to audible noise? I think this guys answer is a tin foil hat.

Unfortunately most people have a hidden agenda.The noise on Youtube doesn't sound like electrical noise to me. Too low a frequency. However, there IS a lot more electrical noise in the distribution system than 20 years ago, mainly from motors running (not just starting) on VFDs. Utilities recognize the problem, not because of the annoyance (real) or health (possible) factors but because of the losses and spikes transmitted into the system. Users of large motors running on VFDs have to install harmonic filters to satisfy the utility. My ceiling fan in the living room is a standard 3 speed unit but I also have a wall mounted speed control. When that is delivering less than line voltage (chopping it with a thyristor) the motor complains very loudly and annoyingly. I don't know if it's a health hazard. To be quite honest, three fixed speeds and direction change would provide more than enough control if I either extended the control strings (simple zero cost solution) or wired all speeds and direction control to an accessible position on the wall (too much work). The complainant clearly embraces modern technology- she posted a video on Youtube and seems to have DSL. Giving her the benefit of the doubt- is the noise annoying? Seems so, but my snoring is also annoying. Is it a health hazard? Difficult to tell but my wife can at least escape from my snoring by getting up and moving into the guest room for the rest of the night. Is ac more dangerous than dc? Thomas Edison reckoned it was but he had a purely commercial agenda and was a competitor/enemy of Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse. We have actually reduced electronic pollution by the use of flat screen displays for TVs and computers. I think that the jury is still out regarding high frequencies from DSL, VFDs, electronic ballasts, wireless phones and excessive cell phone use. The problem is getting independent studies carried out. It's easy to go out and buy an $100 instrument to measure RFI and then charge people $50/hr to check out their compact flourescent bulbs and $45 each for 50c plug in filters. I had a neighbour who made a killing in 1999 on the back of the milleneum factor selling generators and software "services". When I told him (in 1999) that it was all BS, he agreed with me. We're back to hidden agendas again.

Well maybe. Marco Polo was laughed at when returned from the far east with tales of rocks that burned. There is much the same concern with light pollution.

"DSL, and all forms of telecommunication, including wireless, must be grounded to the electric utility company's neutral wire to operate." That's a patently false statement. This guy needs better investigators, and a life.

It seems unlikely that one could hear any DSL-generated noise component since DSL operates at frequencies from 25khz - 1.1Mhz. These are well above the range of human hearing, and I suspect any harmonics would be higher still. Further, it's hard to believe that the frequency modulated signals would somehow interact with transmission lines to result in a "pure frequency" that would cause the mechanical vibration necessary to produce sound.

With the exception of a Russian study of personnel exposed to radar (the effects of which are not scientifically disputed), the author's citations primarily consider only low frequency signals of 50 to 60 Hz.

I have heard low frequency tones from power lines, too. It was caused when wind blowing through the long spans vibrated them like guitar strings. The sound might annoy some people, but I doubt there are serious health risks associated with it. Maybe someone should do a study?