Receiving simultaneous random radio stations through iPod Nano

[Lauren273]

Hello...
I was listening to my iPod Nano...the older smaller almost square shaped generation Nano, when I heard what sounded like crackling. I turned up the volume to realize that is was radio commercials, but not just 1 station...there were 2 stations layered over one another, which were coming through along with the music I was listening to (which is on the iPod). I pushed pause, and loud and clear, I heard the 2 radio stations coming through simultaneously. I was listening on my headphones & the iPod was not plugged in to anything.

I have a basic understanding of physics, but I'm not to familiar with the mechanics of a radio receiver. As far as I know, an iPod Nano (the old square shaped generation) doesn't have radio signal receiving capabilities on its own.

How were 2 stations (2 different frequencies) able to be received and played simultaneously? Also, I was a bit amazed how clear they both sounded (not a lot of static at all). This happened last night- for the first time.

Can anyone walk me through how this could be possible? I would really appreciate it!

Thanks,

L

 

[carbonzit]

Any radio transmitters in your immediate neighborhood? That would certainly help explain this.

 

[Lauren273]

Hi carbonzit,

Thanks for the reply. I live in Chicago, smack in the middle of downtown. The closest obvious major transmitters I can think of are WGN (they do the radio show off of Michigan Ave 2 city blocks east of me), a bit further east of that is NBC tower...not sure what they've got coming out of there. To the south about 4 city blocks is the ABC TV news studio and about 6 blocks to the south is CBS TV news studio. I also live in a high rise, so who knows what my wacky neighbors may be doing on a different floor. This is probably too far, but I know that Chicago Center (Air Traffic Control) as well as O'Hare & Midway approach & departure probably transmit through this area as well. My apartment is 20 stories up, too.

I'm probably surrounded by transmitters right? I'm very interested in learning how this little Nano started receiving 2 specific radio frequencies, and was able to play them both at the same time & so clearly

 

[carbonzit]

So you do know what WGN stands for, right? As well as WLS?

 

[Lauren273]

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but World's Greatest Newspaper & World's Largest Store?

 

[carbonzit]

Bingo! And, of course, WCFL = Chicago Federation of Labor.

Sorry I can't shed any more light on your interesting radio phenomenon. Hopefully an expert will be along here shortly.

 

[mdanh2002]

Cheap radios (especially those auto-scanner radios found in phone, iPod, etc.) are overloaded by strong local stations.

Another possible reason is a faulty radio, which may be caused by a faulty firmware (jailbroken perhaps?). I once got a dead radio on my iPhone after I jailbroke it. Restoring the official firmware solved the issue.

 

[carbonzit]

But you missed that it's not a radio. (At least not by intention.)

As far as I know, an iPod Nano (the old square shaped generation) doesn't have radio signal receiving capabilities on its own.

 

[Lauren273]

Right carbonzit, its not a radio. It doesn't even offer a "radio" setting & it has no wireless capabilities (not sure if that matters).

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Right carbonzit, its not a radio. It doesn't even offer a "radio" setting & it has no wireless capabilities (not sure if that matters).

It's just a poorly designed product - it's receiving strong radio signals and demodulating them - it's something that 'should' be prevented at the design stage. Non-linearity in the electronics provides the demodulation, but proper design prevents the RF getting there in the first place.

 

[Diver300]

Google Answers: Radio signals picked up by tooth fillings.

That shows that radio recievers can happen by accident.

I've made a couple of accidental tuned circuits. One resonated near 50 Hz and the other was almost exactly 198 kHz.