Human-Radio Interaction Observations

Introduction

I never cease to be amazed at the interaction effects between humans and radios. When certain humans get close to radios, the static will increase or decrease. It is an amazing effect.

Recently I have observed such effects. Today I performed some specific experiments, and these are the observations I noticed.

Radio Device as Radio – not CD Player

The first thing I want to point out is that the radio device is operating as a radio. The device is set to an FM station, and music is being received and played. The radio device is not in CD mode, nor is it off.

Observing Static

What I am observing is the static. Normally a radio station will play clearly. But there are occasions where the radio produces static.

In general this can be produced by a variety of effects, such as weather and other broadcasting devices in the area.

What I am looking a specifically is the effect on static due to the human body. Specifically, as I come closer to the radio or further from the radio, as I place my hands in different positions, I am observing what will happen to the static.

Decreasing Static Observed in Earlier Observations

First thing I have noticed is that my human body can sometimes increase static, and sometimes decrease the static.

In today’s experiments, my body would always increase the static as I got closer to the radio. However, this is in contrast to my experience of a few months ago – where my body would decrease the static.

When I first noticed this phenomenon, and played around with it, this was the situation: The radio already had some static. I supposed this was due the weather or transmission or something similar. Yet every time I got close to the radio, the static would decrease, and the station would come in very clear.

I started playing around with it, standing in different positions. I discovered that 2 feet from the radio was where the effect began. When I was 2 feet from the radio, the static disappeared. When I left the area, the static would return to the level it had been before.

I noted this to a few friends, and asked them for the explanation, but none of them were able to explain it.

Human Body Can Either Decrease or Increase Static

Yet this point remains: today’s experience is the exact opposite of that experience.

 In the experience of a few months ago the radio began with constant static, and my presence close to the radio eliminated that static. Yet in today’s experience, the radio began with no static, but when I got close the radio the static increased.

Therefore the exact opposite situations can occur. It seems to depend on whether there is static to begin with or not.

Today’s Observations: Increasing Static Within 6 inches

In today’s observations I decided to see exactly where the static would increase as I got close to the radio.

I first noticed this a few days ago. For the past few days, I noticed that as I approached the radio the static would increase. As I backed away from the radio the static would decrease. Today I finally decided to test the specific distances and locations. This is what I noticed:

1. My hands created more static than my body. My body could create small static, but it was really when I moved my hands closer to the radio that the static really increased.

2. The static was greatest when I placed my hands between 6 inches and 2 inches from the radio. This also conforms with my general observations of the past few days: when I approached my radio with my hand (to turn it off, or change to CD mode) the static would increase.

3. The static is greatest when my hands are generally pointing to the tuning dial. The static is strongest there. In contrast, placing my hands near the outer edges of the radio, where the speakers are, has less static.

The distance from my hands to the radio is the same, only the location differs. The increase in static is always strongest near the tuning dial.

4. There is also a region much closer to the radio where the static disappears altogether. Putting my hands approximately ½ inch from the radio, the static will disappear altogether.

This effect includes when I have my hand directly in front of the tuner – where the induced static is strongest. Just by moving my hand a bit closer, that strong static disappears altogether. The distance for this effect is approximately ½ inch.

There are other observations, as described below, but these are the main ones. Also note that I performed these measurements several times, during several songs. The results were always the same, regardless of what song was playing. And of course this means that these effects were not temporary, but would occur again and again.

Specific Angle Produces Static

I also noticed that the angle I stand can produce some static. I noticed this later, but is appropriate to mention it now.

Standing several feet away from the radio, at a particular angle, the radio would also produce static. The angle was approximately 17 degrees from the dial side of radio. It was also approximately south (just in case that makes a difference).

This was in contrast to anywhere else I would stand at that same distance away. Same distance anywhere else, and there was no static. But stand at that one angle – and still being several feet from the radio – there was some static.

I tried standing on the other side of the radio, at approximately the same angle, but I could not get it to work.

My guess is that because the tuning dial is closer to the left side than the right side, the effect was able to be produced standing that angle on the left side of the radio, but not the same angle on the right.

Songs, Advertisements, Announcers

Each Produced Different Effects

Now we will get to an observation which surprised me, and yet was very repeatable. The effects on the static would be very different depending on what the radio station was playing at that time.

Advertisements and announcers would result in different static effects than the songs.

The general effect was the same, but the distances were different. Standing closer would still increase the static, yet there were fewer “clear zones”. There was much more static.

During the songs, I could place my hands near the outer edges of the radio and there would be no static. Yet during the advertisements, there was static no matter where I moved my hands.

Also, during the songs I could place my hands ½ inch from the dial, and there would be total clarity; all static was gone. Yet during the advertisements, there was no such clear zone.

Furthermore, moving my hands around the radio would produce different static effects than I had observed while performing the same movements during the songs.

I believe this has something to do with the type of frequency being used to broadcast. Perhaps it is a different type of modulation used, or a slightly different message frequency. Yet there is a difference.

Indeed, doesn’t it seem in some cases that to your ear the sound is different between songs and advertisements? It seemed that way to me as I was performing my detailed measurements.

I will have to ask the radio engineers to know the specific answer, but I believe the way the various messages are sent will then change the effect the human (myself) has on the static.

And just in case you think something changed in the weather or environment, consider this: as soon as the songs started playing again, the effects on the static were exactly – very precisely – what they were when I tested these earlier. I again repeated the tests for the next several songs. So it is absolutely the music versus advertising being broadcast, and not any other cause.

Concluding Thoughts

I will always be amazed regarding the effect that humans can have on radio reception. Humans can increase static, or decrease static, during the FM radio broadcasts. I am not sure how all this works, but I do know that humans can have direct effects on the static produced by the radio.

These are some of my detailed observations. I spent my time as a scientist – testing different locations, distances, and angles. I noted cases where static increased, and where it decreased. I also noted the different effects produced when the station was broadcasting advertisements and announcer’s voices rather than songs.

Again, I do not yet understand the physical processes of humans affecting radio static. However, I do believe these careful observations will help us to eventually understand the processes.