Prius causing other cars to malfunction?

This has never been reported before.

Because the guy was moving, he doesn't know if the cause was something in the area. It's most likely he just drove out of the interference area.

Even if it's an area in which he normally drives, the cause could have been some construction or maintenance equipment in a nearby building.

 

What would be totally cool is a Prius that could kill the horrible base sound from nearby car stereos.

One of the worst aspects of living in the city are the *@# idiots who sit in their cars in front of our house killing their hearing while driving us nuts. I heard one in the Battery Street Tunnel here in Seattle; he was a full ten car lengths ahead of me, but his stereo reverberated through the tunnel.

 

I'd guess the Prius next to him had either a fuzzbuster or an iPod tuner.
We have an iPod tuner and it basically emits the iPod output to the radio frequency you want, so that you can pick it up on your car radio.

 

EMF: Both a British band awhile back (think "Unbelievable") and here, Electromagnetic Field. (At least one previous poster had a high level of concern over the potential effects of EMF produced by the battery, as it concerned seating children in the back seat.)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RinMI @ Aug 2 2007, 12:33 PM) [snapback]489438[/snapback]</div>

Prii do give off a lot of electromagnetic radiation, but only in certain parts of the radio spectrum. Ham radio operators know this, its difficult or impossible to work below 30 mhz in a Prius without extensive extra shielding of wires and components in the car. AM/FM frequencies are apparently not in Prius offending frequencies, too low and high. If it was a CD player I doubt if it would be affected by a Prius even if you were using an FM modulator to play through it through the radio. Interesting... the Prius should be considered an unintentional radiator by the FCC, I'll have to look in the owners manual to see if it has the required disclaimer:

"This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation."

 

It's just silly to associate the problem with the vehicle model. I have noticed a similar effect once - when I was following a limosene. Each time I got within 40-50 feet, some bubblegum pop music came through every FM channel. It's a problem with some badly installed transmitter of some type - ham, cb, or commercial. When the guy across from my buddy's house fires up his ham transmitter, you can here him clearly from the stereo speakers - whether they are on or off.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Aug 2 2007, 02:36 PM) [snapback]489442[/snapback]</div>

Someone at M5i drives a white 04 or 05. I've seen it several times on season 2 and 3. Grant is the most likely to have one I'm guessing - seeing as how he's an IEEE member and was on the cover of Spectrum.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mad Hatter @ Aug 2 2007, 01:05 PM) [snapback]489461[/snapback]</div>

The limo undoubtedly had an FM modulator, one of those devices that will let you play your ipod through your FM stereo with no wires. Many of these were transmitting over the FCC limit for these devices and the FCC came down on the manufacturers. Newer modulators are at or below the FCC limit... not sure how many milliwatts that is. Regarding your ham neighbor, work with him to resolve the problem. You can install ferrite cores on your wires to reduce or eliminate the interference. He should know all about that. Part of being a Ham is working with neighbors to resolve any problem... no matter whether he is causing you interference, or you have a device causing him problems (aquarium heater, electric fence controller, etc).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mad Hatter @ Aug 2 2007, 03:05 PM) [snapback]489461[/snapback]</div>

Then he needs to be reported to the FCC because generating that kind of interference is against the conditions of his license - which would be revoked if not resolved at the operator's expense.

Not all Ham operators are competent, but by far the vast majority are, and take care not to cause this type of problem.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mad Hatter @ Aug 2 2007, 03:05 PM) [snapback]489461[/snapback]</div>

It's not silly when the model in question has high voltage power electronics. The Prius has the potential for huge electromagnetic interference; only through good design have Toyota managed to keep it to acceptable levels. There is no question that the Prius gives off more interference than a normal non-hybrid car, but it shouldn't be much of a problem for ordinary FM radio. It's possible that the Prius in question had some defective parts or bad shielding, our the other car a radio sensitive to this sort of interference. It can't be common or the FCC would be on Toyota.

Tom

 

I think it might be a UFO driving down the highway ( see Close Encounters , the railroad scene). Those interdimensional types always have a good eye for design

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(simplybill @ Aug 2 2007, 02:30 PM) [snapback]489487[/snapback]</div>

LOL! That's my favorite scene in the movie as he waves the "car" around and the lights rise...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ZA_Andy @ Aug 2 2007, 03:18 PM) [snapback]489477[/snapback]</div>

Not true in nearly all cases. In most cases it is NOT the fault of the Amateur Radio operator. Most Amateur Radio stations operate well within FCC mandated specs. The ARRL (Amateur Radio Relay League, an organization which represents the Amateur Radio community) has case after case of neighbors complaining about interference from nearby Ham operators only to discover their electronic devices (TV's, phones, stereos, etc.) are poorly shielded and designed. A properly designed device will not be affected by Ham radio transmissions or other properly licensed transmitters.

Now with that being said most if not all Hams will offer free assistance to the complaining party with usually the install of a few inexpensive and easily installed chokes which most times eliminates the problem.

Rick
#4 2006

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(viking31 @ Aug 2 2007, 03:45 PM) [snapback]489502[/snapback]</div>

Hummm... yeah, no. Those consumer devices were design for 'normal' use. They weren't really designed to be used next to someone who's broadcasting at 50 to 1500 Watts PEP (Peak Power).

There are a lot of HAMs that push that boundary a bit and it'd be hard to verify. There's always someone selling something at Hamvention that do it.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(viking31 @ Aug 2 2007, 03:45 PM) [snapback]489502[/snapback]</div>

Right, so they don't continue being bugged about the interference from the Tx.

 

I have an '06 with package 4 and an '07 with package 6. The garage door opener in the rear view mirror creates interference in the '07 when listening to the i-pod adapter FM modulator. No interference in the '06 without the garage door opener option. So catch up to that Prius and find out if it has the door opener option. Then there is the smart key option that in the owners manual warns about people with pace makers to disabl;e the feature. Even has a little button down by the knees.

Brad