I've Got Those Hydro Hummin' Blues

transmission line hum, transformer hum, infrasonics

Another letter from a fan:

Hi Harold,

I read with interest your blog on Nov 18 about infrasonics and some farmers hydro line. I have been getting a humming sound entering our two storey wood frame house via our hydro line rack and have been getting nowhere with the local power company to accept any responsibility. We live near a hydro easement (in farm country) that has three runs of high voltage lines running perpendicular to our local service along the road. If I listen to the poles along our road, they hum and vibrate quite loudly and I am convinced that this is the noise entering our house. I wondered if the high voltage is the origin of the noise and if the noise can be transferred to the lines running along our road then into our own hydro line? What do you think?

Signed: Hate Hydro Hummin'

Dear Hum,

Most likely. As I said with my long run on this, you need to measure this with a usb accelerometer, just like the other guy is doing. Get a power spectrum on the poles, and one at the house. It's expensive to fix, since you need an acoustic break of loose wire. If the power company owns the connection, you will have to force them by being a pain in the ass.

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I think all the Hum Haters should get together and we'll form a club! You can pay me in ad clicks. We'll put together a form letter to the power company, along the line of: Dear Dipsticks, here is the spectrum of your lines, and here is my house. Put it together! Fix it!