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Audio Measurement Examples
measured in decibels in
Carlsbad Ca., USA
Audio Measurement Technique
The data was taken on 6/20/02-7/8/02 by a degreed Electronics Engineer using a Radio Shack Digital Sound Level Meter #33-2055, with meter specs: +- 2 db
at 126 decibels. Time averaging was used for sound tests: approx. 10 seconds where possible.
Note
that blanks in the below chart means no data was taken.
|
ITEM |
APPROX DISTANCE |
MIN |
AVG |
MAX |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PALOMAR AIRPORT NOISE |
|
note:higher=louder |
|
|
Private Jet, Taking Off |
In Airport, at closest public point |
|
100 |
> 100 |
|
Jet Plane, on runway |
In Airport, at closest public point |
79 |
83 |
90 |
|
Prop Plane near runway |
In Airport, at closest public point |
74 |
83 |
90 |
|
Prop Plane taxi |
In Airport, at closest public point |
73 |
78 |
80 |
|
Prop Bi-plane taking off |
In Airport, at closest public point |
72 |
77 |
89 |
|
Prop Plane flying overhead |
In Airport, at closest public point |
75 |
77 |
81 |
|
Helicopter in air, measurement #2 |
In Airport, at closest public point |
63 |
76 |
72 |
|
Jet Engine, low Idle in Hangar |
300 yds away |
62 |
73 |
80 |
|
Jet Engine, low Idle in Hangar |
300 yds away |
64 |
72 |
80 |
|
Helicopter in air |
In Airport, at closest public point |
66 |
72 |
77 |
|
Ambient Noise, no takeoffs |
closest parking lot |
63 |
67 |
71 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TRAFFIC NOISE |
|
|
|
|
|
Palomar & Melrose, Truck #2 |
during traffic, from corner sidewalk |
85 |
98 |
> 100 |
|
Mustang accelerating |
next lane to our vehicle |
|
96 |
|
|
Left Turns, Palomar onto Melrose |
during traffic, from corner sidewalk |
|
95 |
|
|
Car Moving in Traffic 55mph |
inside car, a foot from open window |
|
94 |
99 |
|
Palomar & Melrose, Truck #3 |
during traffic, from corner sidewalk |
90 |
94 |
98 |
|
Palomar & Melrose, Truck #1 |
during traffic, from corner sidewalk |
85 |
90 |
94 |
|
Palomar & Melrose, UPS Truck |
during traffic, from corner sidewalk |
81 |
88 |
> 90 |
|
Car Moving in Traffic 30mph |
inside car, a foot from open window |
|
87 |
97 |
|
Melrose Traffic #1 |
from sidewalk |
|
87 |
91 |
|
Melrose single Motorcycle |
from sidewalk |
|
84 |
88 |
|
Palomar & Melrose, 5:30 pm #1 |
during traffic, from corner sidewalk |
< 80 |
82 |
93 |
|
Palomar & Melrose, 5:30 pm #2 |
during traffic, from corner sidewalk |
< 80 |
82 |
85 |
|
Quiet Traffic, Source not moving |
traffic corner in Encinitas |
|
80 |
|
|
Rancho Carillo, Melrose direction |
6 houses from Melrose Drive |
60 |
68 |
80 |
|
Car shut off, windows down |
Inside, no accessories on |
|
50 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
HOUSEHOLD NOISE |
|
|
|
|
|
AVIS AC at airport |
15 feet away |
|
85 |
|
|
Rancho Carrillo Outside Ambient |
lot #6 Estates, front |
< 50 |
58 |
65 |
|
Neighbors Air Conditioning Unit |
25 feet away |
51 |
57 |
65 |
|
Quiet tv in Rancho Carrillo House |
inside, windows closed |
<50 |
54 |
67 |
|
Quiet Rancho Carillo House |
inside, windows closed |
|
50 |
|
note: Rancho Carrillo is a neighborhood residential area, normally
considered a quiet place
note: Palomar and Melrose are large streets within Carlsbad
California
note: Palomar airport is a local Carlsbad airport actually having
the most take offs and landings in San Diego County. However, the
planes there are mostly single engine or dual engine prop plans plus some
"for-hire" small jets. No large jet airplanes are at this airport.
Some conclusions
1. The jet taking off nearby and the trucks were tied for "most
annoying"; the Mustang next
2. Except for the jet taking off, many traffic sounds were louder (more
decibels) than the airport sounds
3. In Palomar Airport parking lot, most noise was heard coming from
Palomar Airport Road
4. After a while, our ears were trained and told the same story as the
sound meter - which was - it was often hard to listen for the planes, even
on Palomar Airport Road and Melrose Dr. over the traffic
5. The airport being quieter is expected likely due to the smaller planes
in use there, which are of course, mostly further away than traffic. If
larger jets were in use , a different result is likely.
6. Some noises can be more disturbing that others. Seemingly random
noise, called Gaussian or white noise, such as wind or ocean surf is often
ignored by us. For example, noise outside our house was up to 15 db higher -
enormously higher than inside -. But it was mostly wind, which the ears
ignore. Trucks, jets, motorcycles, prop planes, people voices,
and many cars, are of course noticeable.
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