psi20 Posted February 20, 2005 Posted February 20, 2005 Shoot, over the past few weeks I've noticed an increase in the amount of sonic booms in San Jose. Recently, due to tests and an increase in homework, I decided to wake up at around 6 A.M. to study and finish up homework and projects. Some mornings around that time, I hear this low hum that was really loud. It woke my sister up. It continued for like 10 minutes or so, unlike any kind of plane I've heard. Last Friday, when my class was taking a test, this really loud shockwave hit. It was like a jet plane was blasting off or a 9.0 earthquake hit. The windows shook and everything. Pretty crazy.
Cap'n Refsmmat Posted February 21, 2005 Posted February 21, 2005 That's weird. Are you near a fighter base? They don't fly the SR-71 anymore, so spyplanes wouldn't be causing any sonic booms-they're subsonic now. Describe the hum. Does it sound like a motor? That's kind of funny... sounds like Area 51 stories.
coquina Posted February 21, 2005 Posted February 21, 2005 http://www.earthpulse.com/science/taoshum.html The article is called "Sourcing the Taos Hum" It's an interesting read. It seems there is some credible research, however, it is a .com site, and there is reference to a patented device. There was also a copywrite notice at the bottom, so I didn't quote anything directly from the article.
psi20 Posted February 21, 2005 Author Posted February 21, 2005 Interesting, I saw a mythbusters episode with where they tried to see whether subsonic frequencies of 5-9 Hz could make someone lose their bowels. The jacked the sound level up to 150 db wearing some protective ear muffs. At that sound level, they felt a lot of pressure in their chest and their breathing was changed, as if the sound itself was breathing with them. People who were farther out like 20 ft from the speakers became dizzy and sick. The Taos hum might explain the 6 A.M. ones, but the one during class shook the class, people looked up and said, "Whoa," so it wasn't just me. I think even the windows shook. The nearest airport is 10 miles from my house, I'm not sure if there's a fighter base though. The 6 A.M. ones sometimes sound like motors. The first time I heard it, I thought it was the heater starting. Then, I thought perhaps it was the neighbors' heater starting, too. But I checked and it wasn't.
Cap'n Refsmmat Posted February 21, 2005 Posted February 21, 2005 When you hear the 6 A.M. one, look outside. Sounds like a piston-engined plane or a blimp. If the windows shook in class, that's most likely a sonic boom. If the airport is a fighter base or supersonic aircraft are being tested there, that explains it. However, the military usually tries to avoid supersonic speeds above civilians.
Nevermore Posted February 21, 2005 Posted February 21, 2005 Shoot, over the past few weeks I've noticed an increase in the amount of sonic booms in San Jose. Recently, due to tests and an increase in homework, I decided to wake up at around 6 A.M. to study and finish up homework and projects. Some mornings around that time, I hear this low hum that was really loud. It woke my sister up. It continued for like 10 minutes or so, unlike any kind of plane I've heard. Last Friday, when my class was taking a test, this really loud shockwave hit. It was like a jet plane was blasting off or a 9.0 earthquake hit. The windows shook and everything. Pretty crazy. Weird, the same thing happened to me. But I was sure it was a sonic boom. Pressure waves and everything. I was nowhere near an airport.
coquina Posted February 21, 2005 Posted February 21, 2005 I had an experience with a sound sort of like a sonic boom, but it was shorter in duration, sort of like a sonic pop. Some people in the immediate neighborhood were wakened by it. It was early in the morning, and I was up having coffee, sitting close to a window - but not looking out of it, however, it seemed to be accompanied by a flash of light. I think it may have been a small bolide exploding in the atmosphere.
YT2095 Posted February 21, 2005 Posted February 21, 2005 psi20, did you actualy SEE a plane at all? I only wonder because is it possible that it`s Ground based, like an engine backfire, or some sort of factory machinery?
psi20 Posted February 21, 2005 Author Posted February 21, 2005 The one at school was during a test so nobody went outside. The one at home I didn't go outside either.
YT2095 Posted February 21, 2005 Posted February 21, 2005 how far is the school from your house? I ask this because there is a machine working on a site about 1km from the gardens, and all you can hear is VERY loud metalic bang ever 1.5 seconds (roughly) and a faint engine noise (it`s some sort of pile driver on an ex-landfill site trying to make the ground secure). naturaly due the distance and varying weather conditions (cloud ceilings etc...) that sound can SEEM to come from all sorts of directions, even from the sky occasionaly. I`ve no idea how much further away this sound goes as my only other stop away from it is just over 3kms away with alot in between and we can`t hear it here. just a thought
psi20 Posted February 21, 2005 Author Posted February 21, 2005 Hmm, a mobile home was moved out recently and replaced with a new one. That might explain the 6 A.M. ones and why they've stopped.
YT2095 Posted February 22, 2005 Posted February 22, 2005 aha, yeah the "pinning" it to the ground securely can make a bit of noise for sure. they don`t have propper foundations like regular brick houses with a basement, so they REALLY have to make sure suckers are well stapled down! it might NOT be the answer as to what you heard, but it`s as good as any so far, and it`s good to look at ALL possibilities before arriving at a conclusion
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