WHRB Offers Its Help to Apleyites

In response to your article about WHRB transmitter interference at Apley Court, I would like to reiterate some of the tips we and the Federal Communications Commission have to offer to help residents avoid problems with our transmission:

1. The major source of interference in telephones, answering machines and the like is the cords that connect these appliances to the wall. We recommend keeping all wires as short as possible; long extension cords should be replaced with shorter ones, and 25-foot phone cords should be replace with 10-footers.

2. There cords act something like antennas. Just as you can adjust an antenna for good reception, you can also adjust it for bad reception. Try moving cords and appliances around to find the place with the least interference. Bunching up wires may also help.

3. TV and radio antennas can make the problem worse. Try detaching antennas to see if reception improves.

4. Radio Shack and other stores sell devices called "ferrite cores" or "filter chokes." These little boxes attach to wires and absorb interference.

5. Should all else fail, try shielding phone and power cords. the easiest way to do this is to wrap wires in one layer of aluminum foil, and then to ground the foil, "Grounding" means to create a path from the foil to a point that is connected, literally, to the ground. In dorm rooms, try touching the foil to an unpainted water or heating pipe (such as the pipes under the sink in the bathroom or the pipes near the radiator). If aesthetics is a problem, try touching the metal part of a wire--any wire--to the foil and run the wire to ground. Tape the whole thing up so it doesn't fall apart.

These are our basic tips. If there is interest, I will arrange a meeting with Apley Court residents in the near future to present these suggestions in person.

Again, I would like to apologize for any inconvenience WHRB may cause Apley Court residents, but, unfortunately, these are the problems inherent in living not 500 yards away from a radio transmitter. In a sense, it is like Wigglesworth residents and their troubles with the subway underneath. We do everything we can to keep interference at a minimum, including continuous monitoring of o our signal to make sure that we are operating by FCC regulations.

The good news is that the FCC has granted us approval to move our transmitter to downtown Boston. This project will begin as soon as we have completed raising the $250,000 needed. We hope to be broadcasting from downtown by the Fall of this year, and next year's Apley Court residents will be interference free. Jeremy A. Rassen '95   Senior Engineer, WHRB