You know that noise when your mobile is near a set of speakers?

Well on my powerbook with my vodafone data card (for wireless net); it seems to do it very very loudly even when the speakers are muted.

Mainly does it when I am loading a page or someone starts talking on msn but its something I can't really put up with its very loud, annoying and if i'm @ job on site it would piss everyone off!

Any ideas/solutions on how to shut it up

This is known as GSM interference and happens when your vodafone card is operating on 2G. Where possible try forcing it onto 3G-only, as you do not get this interference with UMTS.

I am in Orange, central western NSW.. In the country - so no 3G here mate!

Interesting though, i plugged in my headphones and it will go through there instead, so might just try putting a 3.5mm headphone plug in and hopefully that'll make it quiet

The reason why you still hear it when your speakers are muted is because the machine's built-in amplifer is running at 100% all the time -- all the volume (and mute) control does is adjust the level of signal going to the amplifier chip.

Nor can you shield the machine against this, even though your PB may have a solid metal case, because the bit that generates the radio signals is inside the shielding. Either stick to physical muting with a headphone or something in the audio-out jack, or forego wireless and get a stand-alone 2G transceiver that connects to your ethernet port.


B.

Maybe see if you can get an external antenna for your wireless card?

Thanks for the info Brains.. makes sense about the amp.

I found a 3.5mm converter plug so just stuck that in for now

Brental, yeah it does take an external antenna but they probably cost quite a bit, don't really need it.