Blanketing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Blanketing is interference caused by strong radio signals. Although the spectral mask of a radio station's transmitter suppresses spurious emissions on other frequencies in the band, being extremely close to a station may allow them to still be strong enough to cause significant interference. The strong station will appear on nearly every blank or weak channel in the band, especially in the FM broadcast band. This problem is greatly reduced by even moderate-quality receivers, which have better selectivity than inexpensive disposable ones.
Occasionally, stations that cause blanketing interference near their antenna will also pop up in more bizarre items, such as computer loudspeakers, which are not even meant to pick up radio stations. This is also the result of poor (or nonexistent) electromagnetic shielding in such cheap electronics.
Blanketing is also a term for a surprise attack on a friend done usually at parties, and performed in the following manner: find a relatively clean blanket, create a taskforce of cohorts, approach guest from behind, and on a silent count of three, forcefully drape the blanket over head of the guest. At this point, all options are open.
On the evening of October 21st, 2006, in Sacramento, CA, Paul McGinnis was blanketed by his close friends Ken, Terry, Erin and Jake. After the initial blanketing, Paul was carried in a highly unsecured manner through the kitchen and onto the back porch. Later, Paul would swear that he had been placed in the tub prior to being brought to the backyard. This would later turn out to be a false memory for which no suitable explanation could be found.
