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Cable Stray Signals

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ncrunch32
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 762 Kingston, NY
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2005-02-17          106267

A Cablevision (our cable and optimum online provider) truck pulls into our driveway yesterday and the serviceman tells my wife he detected stray signals coming from our house. He says FCC requires that they monitor signal leakage and that he needs to come into our house to fix it. He tells my wife he understands that she is alone but if he can't fix the problem they will have to terminate our service. He will have to look at all our electronics and connections. My wife sent him on his way without letting him in.

We have lots of electronics and connections (including security systems) in our house that I wouldn't want the cable guy mucking around with. Also we would want someone by appointment who was clean and didn't look like a degenerate in my house. We are waiting to see if they terminate our service and then we will do what we have to when the time comes.

Has anyone ever heard of this stray signal stuff? Is it a scam? Everything is working correctly in my house.


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yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
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2005-02-17          106272

Sounds like a scam to me. The proper response is for your wife to get their ID card and call your local cable company at the phone number listed in the phonebook to verify this. Additionally, she should mention that you will be home soon, you are a real hothead and surely shoot them if this is a scam. The torture before death is the only real thing to worry about. You will bury them and the truck in the backyard with your new backhoe and no one will ever find out. Just wait here a minute! ....

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AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin
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2005-02-17          106273

Sounds awful fishy to me. I would think that if there was a problem they would have to send a letter first and make an appointment with you to do a "repair."

A harty "attaboy" to Mrs. Ncrunch32 for keeping the homestead secure. ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2005-02-17          106274

A couple of years ago my wife had a similar instance, while I was out of town of course. She however, kept her wits about her as your wife did.

We at the time had a 85lb. retriever who was VERY defensive about 'her' turf (she thought of my wife as part of that package) and had a peculiar quirk. If you held her by the collar at the door, she would lean forward as if pulling, but didn't pull, (my tiny wife would have been water-skiing behind her if she did) she would however, bare her teeth and make the most horrible snarling sounds.

When this character came to the door he was met by two suspicious females, one on 4 legs one on 2 legs. This guy was already off-balance at the dog snarling inches from his 'tendest of parts'...... My wife said it wasn't a good time, we had just had an attempted break-in, the dog was very nervous and scared and the police were on their way from the hospital after interviewing the burglar where he was being "put back together because the dog 'got to him' before the police arrived".

The guy beat a hasty retreat to his van, never to be seen again.

Best of luck. ....

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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2005-02-17          106278

The only stray signals that guy was picking up were hormonal.

Keep a close eye on things and dust off Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson. That was either a case job or an attempted rape. Either way he might be back and only the firmest resolve works with such people.

Stray signals indeed. Was your wifes car in the garage? Was there any external sign that someone might be home? ....

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Iowafun
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 955 Central Iowa
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2005-02-17          106304

I'm agreeing it was not legit. A simple call to the "company" he was supposedly with would confirm if there really was a tech in the area and if it was legit or not. If not, then call the police and file a report with as much of description as she can provide. That way if he shows up again, the police will have it on record of a previous transgression to go along with the body. ....

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ncrunch32
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 762 Kingston, NY
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2005-02-17          106307

Thanks for the comments guys. He did have a sheet he left with us from Cablevision that talked about FCC regulations and these stray signals. There was a phone number at the bottom of the sheet we could call but my wife is hesitant to call the cable company in case it is legitimate. We don't want to do anything to remind them there are "stray" signals (if it is legitimate) so that they start tearing through our hookups.

My wife did say this guy looked like a shifty character and he looked aound the house a bit before he knocked on the door. We were once robbed so my wife is extra aware of all suspicious characters that come around the neighborhood - that's one of the reasons why we have so much security now. I used to think she was too cautious - but not anymore. I will tell my wife about your comments. Thanks again!
....

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AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin
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2005-02-17          106310

Call the sheriff and make a report. Please. ....

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metastable
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 78 North Plains, OR
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2005-02-17          106312

This is probably legit. I am an electronics engineer, and know that the cable industry is very paranoid. Basically, they "snoop" for certain frequencies that are only likely to come from the cable system. These signals usually come from illegal cable descramblers, so yes, they WILL cut your service if you don't comply--a quick call to your provider would have confirmed his ID. The problem can also come from bad wiring, poor crimp connectors, malfunctioning vcr/tv, etc. The attitude of the cable industry is "guilty until proven innocent." Best of luck with this. ....

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ncrunch32
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 762 Kingston, NY
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2005-02-17          106319

Metastable - I have no illegal cable box here. I do have many base cable connections to 10 smaller TVs, a digital box to main TV and 8 way wired router which feeds 5 computers. All this wiring is entangled with lots of other feeds and connections to several sets of speakers, amps, vcrs for tv and security cameras, and on and on. I might have to kill someone who starts messing wround with my wiring :) ....

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ncrunch32
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 762 Kingston, NY
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2005-02-17          106322

I might add here that my wife does not want anyone exploring our wiring - or getting any idea what our security system is about - or knowing anything about what possessions are in our house - or knowing about means of access to our house. If it comes to this we might consider switching to another provider. ....

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Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2005-02-17          106324

Unless you use a cable model high speed internet hook up; Dish Network offers a MUCH better deal than cable. Depending upon what you like to watch, C band satellite is even cheaper but you have to use a BUD. (big ugly dish) ....

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rwacho
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 25 Houston, TX
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2005-02-17          106325

I experience the same thing. Made the cable co. set an appointment. I was really surprised by the leakage. Tighting up connections and adding termination resistors to open connections cleaned up the cable and greatly reduced the stray RF. ....

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ncrunch32
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 762 Kingston, NY
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2005-02-17          106329

2ndhandlion, I am using cable internet - so I am not sure I can do better with satellite - plus they charge you and extra $5 for each tv. Rwacho - I am talking my wife into scheduling an appointment. But we will also request that whoever they send out is professional and clean cut - or my wife will call the police. I also better check with my 17 year old son to make sure he has nothing hooked to our system I don't know about.

One time the cable company slowed our internet service because my son was using Kazaa and acting as a server for so many other people. The other day I went upstairs when my son was gone and the computer was whirring away - I shut it off and it said there were 3 people logged on. My son came home and asked why I shut the computer off, he was accessing it from his friend's house for music. It's hard to keep up with the kids nowadays. ....

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kyvette
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 194 Central Kentucky
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2005-03-01          107011

The FCC mandates that cable companies comply with a minimum "leakage index" for their system. About twice a year the cable company will drive the streets using a "sniffer" to detect signal leakage.

Normally, signal leakage comes from a homeowner "do it yourselfer". Without the proper tools and connectors a connection can leak RF signals.

Our company employees drive marked vehicles and carry personal IDs. If in doubt ask for the ID and call the cable company to verify. Do not let someone in your house if you are not absolutely sure who they are. Another suggestion is schedule a visit when someone else is at home with you. Dave ....

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brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2005-03-01          107051

NCrunch
I too have 17 year old along with a 15 and 14yr old.. A few different kinds of anti spam, spam blockers, adware stops spyware watchers etc etc. and I had enough! I told the kids if I ever see Kazza again on my systems I will take the other computer and throw it in Lake Micigan! I have never caught em on a sex sight but (if I was a kid I would sure as hell try) usually alot of those will end up jamming your computer one way or the other sooner than later so I am not worried about that. You are definately ON IT check with him first! LOL Keeping up with the kids is not my best attribute but we can giver hell any way.
Last night we had the satalite pass infront of the sun and cause a disturbance also? The cable show let me know that while it was out for awhile. ....

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brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2005-03-01          107052

TALK ABOUT WIERD!!! Look at the time of my last post and the time of this one. The cable tv just did the same thing and broadcast a message about the sun again. It only lasted a few seconds this time though! WOW This is too wierd! ....

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ncrunch32
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 762 Kingston, NY
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2005-03-01          107078

Brokenarrow, my son turns 18 tomorrow. I just had a couple of close encounters with him over the last couple of days for bad mouthing his mother. He's had a few girl friends but the one he's with now has his testosterone flowing. They forget that everything they have you bought for them. They take it for granted. I'll let you know how I made out with him in about, say 10 years. ....

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brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2005-03-01          107091

NCrunch
Go to the new thread I made for this topic. KIDS AND FIRST LOVES. I think it is most appropreiet (sp. bad) again. lol
' For a new thread. ....

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