Toner picks up music

[DTSMAN]

Adding 5 computers and there was an extra cat5 cable all ready ran to the locations from a previous installation. I went in to tone the lines and put new ends on as neither ends where terminated. I could here music on the lines with my toner and told them we would have to recable because these must go through the phone system some how. Cabled it today, and my new wires are picking up the music also and can not find out how it is being induced into my lines. My wiring is routed differently than theirs, as the original was done during new construction and mine is fished to different juction boxes.
Has anyone else seen this? And if so did it effect the network?

 

[cwc3]

do you mean your probe is picking up music?
have you figuired out what the music source is?
are you close to a radio station ?

 

[DTSMAN]

it is the music that is on the phone system which may or may not also be the same music that is played in the dining area of the restaurant.

 

[surplus]

Bob,

I have seen 2 scenarios like you describe, one was actually 4 conductor JK wire, the old red, green, black and yellow conductors that actually picked up a local radio station broadcasting in the area, and it was almost like music on hold on the analog phones. We used RF chokes to kill it, but that was straight analog phones. I've also seen wherein the Muzak box for foreground music feed was run through the telco closet and music was induced into the cables along side, however, it did not do any harm to the network or digital phones. I'm sure with the right combination of analog phone and close proximity of the wiring, the signal might be amplified. You also have to consider that your toner is really amplifying the signal that you are hearing. Cause it is possible to use a toner to hear conversation on an analog phone or pots line. Are you picking up a foreground music source or a nearby radio signal??

 

[DTSMAN]

It is being induced somewhere. the amplifier assy. for the music system is in the office also and none of my cables are within 15ft of this amplifier or its cabling. Could it be induce from the steel trusses that my cables are ran through? Maybe the steel in the builing is bonded to the antenna?

 

[surplus]

By what you say, you have a building that is crawling with music then. Geez, it could be something to the effect that someone removed a speaker and left the wire coiled in the ceiling, possibly bare conductors touching the junior beams. From what you say, the music that you are picking up is the music that is played throughout the building, correct?

 

[hbiss]

Yes, I have seen that sometimes on cables run in areas with speaker wiring. Reason you hear it is that the probe is high gain and the wiring is unterminated so those tight twists do little to reject the signal as they will when properly connected.

At any rate I wouldn't worry about it. It's not going to cause any problems with your data. Too bad you didn't realize this and ran that new stuff.

-Hal

 

[ttech]

I have been in a building that you put you toner up to just about anything metal in the building and you pick up AM-1060

definitaly WEIRD

Don

 

[Sphoneman]

I have heard music on 99% of jobs I am on by using a probe. That is why I always verify with my butt set for absolute. The harmonics will travel & like hbiss stated the probe is high gain & should not affect your data if you verified the cabling from the sound system is not tied into your data.



Steve
tele-dataservices.com

 

[skip555]

I always hear music unless I wear my tinfoil beanie

 

[orypecos]

Any wire acts like an antenna if it is not grounded. That is the basis of a crystal radio that doesn't even need a battery. Not a problem in most cases.

 

[hbiss]

I have been on jobs where you can clip your butt set across the CO line at the terminal where it comes in the building and on monitor you hear an AM station. Go off hook and it goes away. Doesn't seem to bother anything.

-Hal

 

[letman]

If the telco cable is not bonded to ground correctly and you are in the neighborhood of a radio trans tower you will here music on the cable pairs using your butt set. If this is the case complain to the telco.

 

[MaintOrphan]

Probably induction. Cabling is acting as an antenna and your probe is sensitive enough to pick it up.

It most likely won't affect your data. Might not hurt to make sure that anything of yours that comes with a ground lug is well bonded.