can the car battery, alternator, or starter affect cell phone signals?

[bosen]

1) I'm not an engineer so I appreciate anyone's help here.
2) I would like to know if there is any measurable cell phone signal interference from the car battery, alternator, or starter while the car engine is running or when the car is first started if the cell phone is positioned in the driver's seat. What exactly would this interference look like?

3) Thank you.

 

[DRWeig]

1) Well, the forum is limited to engineer-to-engineer discussion, but I'll give you a quicky. You might get red-flagged.

2) Unfortunately, car electrical systems won't interfere with cell traffic. Wish they did, so people would stop driving while texting / talking / surfing.

Good on ya,

Goober Dave

 

[pstuckey]

Man made noise in general is most severe below 300 MHz. However, in urban environments it can exceed thermal noise into UHF. If you want to read up on it, do a web search for NTIA Report 02-390.

In answer to your second question, ignition systems are broadband noise sources, and if this noise did exceed thermal noise at your frequency of operation, it would lower sensitivity (reduce range).

Peter