[capslock]

Hi All,

I commute to and fro office everyday by my VW Polo GT TSI. I connect my phone via Bluetooth and play music during the commute.
There is a fly-over along the way and on this fly-over there is one "Exact" spot where music in the car mutes and skips exactly two beats. The music resumes automatically.

It always sounds as if the phone has lost internet connection only for some moments while streaming online song.
In other words, it always goes as if I toggle mute button in succession as follows:

Normal music -> Mute (Fraction of a second) -> Un-mute (Fraction of a second) -> Mute (Fraction of a second) -> Normal music.

This always happens at exact same spot on the same fly-over (on both to and fro sides). Initially I thought it might be internet issue, but no, same thing happens even when I play local music from my phone over Bluetooth.

What could be the explanation?

1. Car Bluetooth somehow gets jammed at that specific spot?
2. Speakers get some interference and mute at that exact same spot?
3. Phone (OnePlus 3T) Bluetooth gets jammed?
4. Anything supernatural?

I have not tried if this happens with Aux/USB/In car FM music yet. But was still curious what could be the scientific reason behind this?

[swissknife]

If you could provide the exact location where this happens, possibly some one could check for repeatability and troubleshoot from thereon.

Considering bluetooth operates on radio frequency, it is possible that it's signals are jammed.

[Viraat13]

If you're driving in a cantonment area, near a Police building, or through a VIP area, it could be easily classified as radio interference.

[capslock]

Originally Posted by Viraat13

If you're driving in a cantonment area, near a Police building, or through a VIP area, it could be easily classified as radio interference.

Yes, there is a police station few meters behind the spot below the fly-over.
Do they jam radio frequencies like that everywhere?

[Viraat13]

Originally Posted by capslock

Yes, there is a police station few meters behind the spot below the fly-over.
Do they jam radio frequencies like that everywhere?

They're probably not jamming. It is likely that they have strong radio transmitters for their communication, which is interfering with your BT.

Incidentally, it could be plain old WiFi, which also operates at 2.4 GHz. It could even be a WiFi tower interfering with your BT. Try keeping your phone's WiFi disabled and see if it makes a difference.

[hondatoyotafan]

Originally Posted by capslock

Yes, there is a police station few meters behind the spot below the fly-over.
Do they jam radio frequencies like that everywhere?

I too experience it near a VIP area in the Vento TSI but not in the Kodiaq. Looks like VW vento/polo is sensitive to interference

[condor]

Originally Posted by Viraat13

Incidentally, it could be plain old WiFi, which also operates at 2.4 GHz. It could even be a WiFi tower interfering with your BT.

I doubt it would be this. The interference would have been in a larger area, not just that spot.

[tilt]

Originally Posted by capslock

*SNIP*

This always happens at exact same spot on the same fly-over (on both to and fro sides). Initially I thought it might be internet issue, but no, same thing happens even when I play local music from my phone over Bluetooth.

What could be the explanation?

1. Car Bluetooth somehow gets jammed at that specific spot?
2. Speakers get some interference and mute at that exact same spot?
3. Phone (OnePlus 3T) Bluetooth gets jammed?
4. Anything supernatural?

I have not tried if this happens with Aux/USB/In car FM music yet. But was still curious what could be the scientific reason behind this?

1. Have you tried going below the flyover to the same spot and see if it happens? If so, can you stop at that spot for a bit and see how the BT behaves? I ask this because you should not be stopping on the flyover itself - not safe.

2. Can you try with normal FM radio?

3. Like Swissknife said, if you could show us the spot where this happens (say with a google maps location pin), some of us who might have occasion to use that route might be able to test for you.

I drive a Jetta and I have not faced such an issue anywhere.

Cheers

[blackwasp]

Originally Posted by capslock

4. Anything supernatural?

Perhaps you should have posted this in this thread (Spooky Experiences : Share them here)?

Jokes apart, can you check if same issue persists over USB / Aux just to rule out other problems?

[capslock]

Update: I tried with the in car FM today and this issue was NOT observed.

[reignofchaos]

Originally Posted by capslock

Update: I tried with the in car FM today and this issue was NOT observed.

FM doesn't use the 2.4GHz band. It looks like lots of interference in 2.4GHz - 2.5GHz band. Typical things that work in that range are cordless phones, microwave ovens, wifi routers etc.

[capslock]

More update:

1. Last evening, tried playing songs on just the phone speaker and this issue was NOT observed.
2. Today tried playing songs through AUX cable and the issue was NOT observed. So, it is definitely some interference in Bluetooth.
3. Police station which I mentioned in previous post is actually about 50-75 m away and when the car passes close to police station the issue is not observed, so it cannot be the reason behind this.
4. Today, the flyover was relatively empty, so got a chance to check surrounding area and I think I know the real reason behind the issue:

There are two cell phone towers about 15-20 m away from fly-over mounted atop a hospital building close to the same spot (Explains why BT mutes two times). These cell phone towers are loaded with thousands of wires and about 30-40 typical long white colored antennas. So the culprit is either some instrument from the hospital (less likely) or the two cell phone towers.

I hope issue highlighted in "Robot 2.0" is not real!