Beeping Express

[Firestorm]

Okay, so after hanging around here all this time, I finally built one of these things.

It's loud, it hisses like a snake, etc. AND it does something I've never seen discussed: IT BEEPS!

Every 6 seconds, there's a a subtle, short, electronic-sounding "BEEP." Maybe around 200Hz, or so.

It must be parasitic, but it's SO slow, I can't even guess where it's coming from. Has anyone ever heard something similar?

Yes, I know, we all want pictures. I'll shoot some later, but (trust me) it's Francesca on turret boards. This is going to be my reference amp, before I go silly and test all the things I want to try.

Has anyone heard something like this?

[funkmeblue]

are there any other electronics near by? Like a computer or a router? My amps makes a "crazy" noise a few seconds before my cell phone rings. Anything wireless could cause interference. Maybe your amp is just backing up?

[Kregg]

My first guess would be that you have a noisy AC powered device nearby, or on the same circuit. Does it do it no matter which outlet is used?

[Ron Worley]

Do you have the cover on it and in the cab? If it's open to the air, it can collect all kind of noise...

[Macshaft]

My Liverpool variant does this as well but only when I have it plugged in at home . I have not heard this when I take it to Jam nite . It is more of a tick than a beep , but the frequency is about the same . Pretty sure it is just noise on the A.C. line in the house . This amp is pretty quiet unless you plug in a noisy guitar like my 63 Epiphone w P-90`s . yikes . Quite acceptable with most of my other guitars .

[markr14850]

This thread may have relevant info: https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.php?t=2814

[hitchcaster]

they are very sensitive to cell phones.. thats what it is im guessing, but its hard to say without hearing it.. good luck

[drhulsey]

Shield it correctly, as Ron suggested, and take it to mother's house, plug it in, and see if you hear the same thing.

[Firestorm]

We lost power here in frigid New England so I I haven't been able to test any of these thoughts yet. The router suggestion was interesting since there is one right upstairs of the bench. I'm going to try to isolate the stage it's appearing in, which I think will clarify the source better. Thanks for the ideas.

[Firestorm]

UPDATE:

Well, it stopped making the beeping noise. I didn't do anything, it just stopped. Maybe somebody moved a cell phone; maybe when the power company replaced their blown transformer, it cured it. Who knows? I would have liked to know the source, but probably never will.

Now, about that damned hissing ... this has been discussed ad infinitum, but it doesn't seen reasonable that the only cure is $100 preamp tubes (although it may be), so I'm going to start another topic just on that subject and see if there are any experimental fixes worth trying.

Oh, and thanks to everyone who suggested cures for the self-fixing beep.

[skyboltone]

Back in the olden days, before military satellites we had what was called "Over the Horizon Doppler Radar" that looked for incoming. Most areas had one on a high hill somewhere. Especially near the border. In the Bay Area it was on Mt. Umanum. It was a quick buzz as the antenna signal swept across your area. Just about impossible to trap out. The antenna was the usuall radar shape but like maybe 200 feet across. Lottsa watts.

[Firestorm]

Time to put this one to bed, but I must add one tid bit -- the other night as I'm watching TV with my wireless headphones (so I don't wake up the family) I hear that same "beep" -- not as often, but the exact same sound. Something in the house -- still don't know what -- but it ain't the 'wreck!

[rooster]

Its the Nanny cam (Firestorm cam) your wife installed.......