Combating Harassing Use of Mosquito Noise Device? 1059
amicold asks: "For a while now my neighborhood has had to deal with an elderly neighbor who has displayed a slightly paranoid attitude towards myself and the fellow younger-adults of the neighborhood, believing us to be attempting to harass him in our day-to-day activities. Recently, he installed a Mosquito ultrasonic noise device as an apparent attempt to 'get back at us' for our harassment. As the Mosquito emits a sound that's well out of his hearing range, he can't hear it, while most of the rest of the neighborhood is under 40 and can; at which point it's causing everyone a great deal of discomfort. Unfortunately, because the police also can't hear it, we can't get the authorities to do anything about it, leaving us empty-handed in our attempts at getting some peace and quiet back. What can we do to either help the police realize how disturbing this device is, or counteract it so that it's no longer disturbing us? And is this the first of what may be a growing trend of civilians using high-tech discomfort weapons as a method of neighborhood warfare?"
Re:Quit bitching (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Quit bitching (Score:3, Informative)
£495 ...? (Score:5, Informative)
Or, even if you don't like that, just find something with real spleen shattering bass and just blast it.
Also, for those interested, I found a link to the mosquito sound here [bbc.co.uk] from an article at the Beeb here [bbc.co.uk], also, another interesting turn-around:
http://www.boingboing.net/2006/05/24/kids_turn_te
Quite fascinating...
Re:Hmmmm (Score:2, Informative)
I believe this device is only made by one manufacturer (patented, probably). And according to the web site of the anti-social child-torturing bastards ("Won't somebody please think of the children, and ban this horrible thing?!?!") who make this device, the high frequencies it uses are generally inaudible to people over 20.
Re:Well, you could start by... (Score:1, Informative)
I'd suggest that taking a look at a book that takes the subject seriously [amazon.com].
When somebody "gets one over" on you, there are a bazillion ways to fight back. This is a funny, insightful, and comprehensive explanation of just how many options you really have.
It's amazing what you can do with a $0.99 bottle of super-glue! (Hint - a drop or two in each keyhole of his car door locks can be very entertaining)
Re:Try this (Score:5, Informative)
I can. It's the flyback transformer in your set making that noise - a very loud 15.75 KHz tone. I'm almost 40 years old and haven't taken real good care of my hearing, and it still bugs the hell out of me. One solution to the noise problem is to get a non-CRT television set (plasma, LCD, DLP, etc.).
Re:still out of luck, time for plan B or C. (Score:5, Informative)
If you follow the link in the story, you'd see that the neighbor in question did not install an insect control device (bug zapper) but rather something specifically designed to annoy young people and drive them away. (Mosquito is the brand name). From the link:
Did he tell you he was out to get you...?
Based on the device the guy installed, I think it goes without saying.
Re:Quit bitching (Score:5, Informative)
The wavelength of, say, 14KHz sound is very, very small [google.com] -- about 2.5cm.
Therefore the "shadow" cast by a cancelling device is also very, very small unless the out-of-phase canceller is right next to the noise source. The phase of the canceller will reverse (making things louder rather than quieter) every 1.2cm of distance difference between (the listener and the sound source) and (the listener and the canceller).
So, if you're say 10 meters from the canceller, and 20 meters from the guy's noisemaker, and the devices are in line (the best case) with your present position... you just need to go about
Not really a practical solution.
A sound level meter won't help (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Try this (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Well, you could start by... (Score:3, Informative)
Use 2 directional low frequency drivers pointed at his house that would cause him to have a bowel movement.
"Strong infrasonic or ultrasonic sound waves passing through the head, neck, or chest can cause gasping for breath, head pains, or a choking effect. The firing point of the weapon could be from inside of the house next door or the inside of the house across the street. Since the weapon is hidden inside of a house and no damage is done to either house, it is virtually impossible to visually detect it. The wave after striking its target and passing through the targeted house will dissipate in the atmosphere over a distance. This is truly a vanishing bullet. "
Use 2 different directional high frequency (ultra sound) drivers pointed at his house from two different places but focused at his mosquito device. One at 38kHz the other at 40kHz. Where the two wave fronts meet there will be a loud interference tone of 2kHz.
This is the system used in the Yahama Sound Stage.
Re:Try this (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Ask Slashdot? (Score:5, Informative)
Most other legislations around EU (and many other countries outside it) are not any different. All you need to do is find the relevant local council address and send a complaint. They will send an engineer with measuring equipment at your site ASAP. The mere appearance of the van with the measurement equipment may be enough for the idiot Meldrew clone to take his Mosquito and shovel it where sun does not shine.
Re:Hmmmm (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Why don't you try... getting along? (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Well, you could start by... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Noise Cancelling (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Quit bitching (Score:1, Informative)
Re:Ask Slashdot? (Score:2, Informative)
http://www.compoundsecurity.co.uk/deterrent_news_
Re:Ask Slashdot? - Civil Lawsuit (Score:2, Informative)
Of course, first sending a very gracious but firm certified letter asking for the removal of the nuisance can only help your side look good and reasonable.
Re:Ask Slashdot? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Well, you could start by... (Score:5, Informative)
According to the products page [compoundsecurity.co.uk], the purpose of the Mosquito is to drive teenagers away from an area by producing high frequency sound only they can hear. Older people cannot hear it. The device has no other purpose, and is certainly not a mosquito repellent device as some posters have assumed.
Scotch tape (Score:1, Informative)
Of course, you would have to trespass to place it there...
Re:I call bullshit (Score:4, Informative)
We run that site at work, so of course, we've tested them all. Most of us back in Operations can hear the first 4, with the exception of 3 guys - 2 in their late 30's, and one in his mid-20's. Those of us that can hear it (8 of us) range from early 20's to late 30's. About half of us can hear the 5th one. A couple of us can at least tell that the 6th one is doing something (including me at 32), and only the mid-20 year old guys can hear the 7th one.
WTF? (Score:1, Informative)
While I agree with the vein of your argument, the above comment just shows that you don't know anything about this thread. The device he installed does only one thing: create a high-pitch annoying noise that generally can't be heard by older people who have lost that range. He certainly knows there's a problem, because he purchased a device developed to create this problem.
Re:Try this (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Try this (Score:1, Informative)
This is just about the perfect sound to run through MP3 compression.
Re:Try this (Score:1, Informative)
auto-fightback (Score:3, Informative)
When he turns of the mosquito noise, the noise he can hear will go off.
When he turns it on again, he will hear it.
He will think it has gone wrong; and you know he feels the same pain you do.
Sam
Re:right back at them (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Well, you could start by... (Score:3, Informative)
Then I realized my speakers only go up to 16KHz.