Some proof of 600-series speedlites and cellular interference causing link issues?

[rs-eos]

I stopped by a local photo studio today to test out my 600-series speedlites (first gen).    Wanted to see if they would drop links before working on a project there.

Interestingly, the owner mentioned before I started testing, that cell reception in the back area (studio) was quite bad.

I set up a total of six flashes on three stands (two with single flashes and one with my Foursquare to connect four together).   I was controlling the flashes via an ST-E3-RT (1st gen as well) on my EOS 5D IV.   I put all into the same group (A), and all were in manual mode (M).  Power set to 1/128.

Took several images and didn't experience any link drops.

I also turned off the transmitter several times throughout the test, then back on.  Within a couple seconds, all flashes had their links re-enabled.

I do wish I had tried other power settings, but I cannot imagine that having anything to do with the link drops.  When I did some work in my backyard a couple months back, I was using mostly 1/32, but I think also dropped to 1/64 at one point.

While this is nowhere near an exhaustive test by any means, it's kinda pointing more and more to cellular interference being the cause.

[JLCKJC]

This is from a much longer article on Wikipedia entitled "Faraday Cage."

"A Faraday cage operates because an external electrical field causes the electric charges within the cage's conducting material to be distributed so that they cancel the field's effect in the cage's interior. This phenomenon is used to protect sensitive electronic equipment (for example RF receivers) from external radio frequency interference (RFI) often during testing or alignment of the device. They are also used to protect people and equipment against electric currents such as lightning strikes and electrostatic discharges, since the enclosing cage conducts current around the outside of the enclosed space and none passes through the interior."

[BillWayToday]

THANK YOU!  I have Canon wireless 430 and 600 flash units (and transmitter) and was using all 5 yesterday with constant drops which necessitated rebooting.  RFI as a probable cause makes a lot of sense as the drops are somewhat random.  The software should initiate a re-link upon drops... but obviously Canon didn't count on that being an issue.  Maybe Canon will issue a software update.  

[Nick55]

Tried with my phone off, no change. “Link Drop”

[BillWayToday]

As a ham radio operator (W1HD) I do in fact own a spectrum analyzer and one of these days I'll bring it to the photography arena at 2.4G.  

Funny you mention antenna... in a crowded neighborhood, what do you think about opening up the flash and adding a bit of wire to the internal antenna?  Has anybody opened up one of these Canon flashes to see what the antenna inside looks like?  I'm guessing it's just a bit of a trace on a pc board.  

[BillWayToday]

In the USA cell bands are quite removed from 2.4 Gigs