Buzzing, droning sound late at night in N. County? (San Diego: renting, house)

[MisterCali]

I can't be the only one to hear this. I'm in San Marcos, in North San Diego County. Every few days, late at night (starting sometime between 11pm-1am and sometimes going for several hours straight), a droning, buzzing sound appears. It's difficult to pinpoint the direction it's coming from. I live in the Lake San Marcos communities and with the twisting roads and the mountains directly behind us, sound tends to echo and reverberate. It seems distant and yet the buzzing/vibrating can almost be felt some nights. It sounds like a cross between a loud (but distant) propeller plane, a train slowly crossing tracks and some kind of industrial drilling. It has a definite and fairly consistent "pulse" of the sound reverberating which suggests to me it's something industrial on a regular timer/rhythm as opposed to something random.

So, firstly, anyone else in North San Diego County hearing this? Any theories as to what it might be? Something from Camp Pendleton? Some night-time construction? I'm sure you can tell from my post, but for the benefit of those who may read this years later, I'm posting this in May of 2016.

[NorthCountySDGal]

Originally Posted by MisterCali

I can't be the only one to hear this. I'm in San Marcos, in North San Diego County. Every few days, late at night (starting sometime between 11pm-1am and sometimes going for several hours straight), a droning, buzzing sound appears. It's difficult to pinpoint the direction it's coming from. I live in the Lake San Marcos communities and with the twisting roads and the mountains directly behind us, sound tends to echo and reverberate. It seems distant and yet the buzzing/vibrating can almost be felt some nights. It sounds like a cross between a loud (but distant) propeller plane, a train slowly crossing tracks and some kind of industrial drilling. It has a definite and fairly consistent "pulse" of the sound reverberating which suggests to me it's something industrial on a regular timer/rhythm as opposed to something random.

So, firstly, anyone else in North San Diego County hearing this? Any theories as to what it might be? Something from Camp Pendleton? Some night-time construction? I'm sure you can tell from my post, but for the benefit of those who may read this years later, I'm posting this in May of 2016.

I'm further west, close to the beach but I've been told they do night-time mosquito spraying in some areas. Could this be what you're hearing? Especially if you're by the Lake, there might be some spraying going on. Anyone else heard of this? Specifically I know they were spraying a while back to combat West Nile around some of the lagoon areas.

[Encinitan]

Never heard it and I've lived in Coastal North County from Del Mar to Carlsbad my whole life (46 years).
Most of the things that go bump in the night around that part of town are from Camp Pendleton.

[DCRAM]

Could you be hearing a small drone operated by a neighbor? Those things can be incredibly loud depending on how large they are and they make the exact same sound you're describing. Probably why you also can't see it when you walk outside at night.

[MisterCali]

Appreciate the suggestions, everyone, but no, I don't think it's a drone. Lake San Marcos is, well, let's just say if you're in your 50s, you're the young kids on the block. I'm renting a room from my parents before I start a new job in San Francisco later this summer. I don't think any of our neighbors are flying drones at 2am.

I actually asked the city about mosquito spraying planes in case that might be it and they said that they spray occasionally, but not presently and not directly in my area.

Also, the sound is so... consistent and constant when it appears that I have to think it's something industrial or construction related as opposed to a plane or individual item that will have greater variance in its pitch, loudness, and... rhythms, if you will.

I grew up in North San Diego county and am pretty used to hearing noise from Camp Pendleton. These aren't those softened "booms" in the distance that anyone who's spent time in North County will recognize, but rather a single, ceaseless, droning hum or buzz. Ah, well, I'll keep looking for answers. Hopefully someone in this area (San Marcos) will pipe up and let me feel like I'm not the only one hearing this.

[RosieSD]

Do any of your neighbors have pools? Older pool pumps can sound similar to what you're describing. Some people set their pool pumps to only run at night, but it's also possible that during the day you just don't notice the hum due to other ambient noise.

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by MisterCali

Appreciate the suggestions, everyone, but no, I don't think it's a drone. Lake San Marcos is, well, let's just say if you're in your 50s, you're the young kids on the block. I'm renting a room from my parents before I start a new job in San Francisco later this summer. I don't think any of our neighbors are flying drones at 2am.

I actually asked the city about mosquito spraying planes in case that might be it and they said that they spray occasionally, but not presently and not directly in my area.

Also, the sound is so... consistent and constant when it appears that I have to think it's something industrial or construction related as opposed to a plane or individual item that will have greater variance in its pitch, loudness, and... rhythms, if you will.

I grew up in North San Diego county and am pretty used to hearing noise from Camp Pendleton. These aren't those softened "booms" in the distance that anyone who's spent time in North County will recognize, but rather a single, ceaseless, droning hum or buzz. Ah, well, I'll keep looking for answers. Hopefully someone in this area (San Marcos) will pipe up and let me feel like I'm not the only one hearing this.

Up here on the other side of Pendleton, we hear noises too. The Orange County Sheriff gets informed when strange things will happen in Pendleton. I once found a Website dedicated to Pendleton noise. There is even a radio station that broadcasts Pendleton info, and I am sure you can catch it on that side too. Our community even gets a warning from the city on Nextdoor when there will be activity.

As for buzzing noises, might it be a helicopter at a distance?

[MisterCali]

Originally Posted by RosieSD

Do any of your neighbors have pools? Older pool pumps can sound similar to what you're describing. Some people set their pool pumps to only run at night, but it's also possible that during the day you just don't notice the hum due to other ambient noise.

Now that's an interesting suggestion. I don't know for sure, but I have to assume that some of the nearby homes do have pools. The homes start to get pretty big ($1-1.5M+, I'd guess) around this part of the 'hood. And, you're right, at the time I'm hearing the noise (late at night after 11pm) it's very quiet here.

[MisterCali]

So the droning sound was back tonight. Decided to walk outside and investigate. I walked in what I thought was the general direction of the sound and that took me directly to the lake (Lake San Marcos). I'm not sure if the sound is coming from something directly on/in the lake or from a home that sits along the lake's edge. Whatever it is, it got quite loud as I got closer to the lake. No way it's some single home's pool pump. So, that's out. Getting closer to the source tonight, I would liken the sound to that of a large and deep symphony orchestra string section - sort of like the Jaws "duhhhn-nuhhhh-duhhhh-nuhhhh" theme, but deeper and slower. Like just the cellos and bass. Weird as hell. Wonder what on earth it is.

It sounds a bit like the first 4 secs of the Jaws theme as heard here. But, that sound mixed with, say, the sound of a creaking wooden boat dock. But it seems too loud and resonant and to cause too strong a vibration to literally be just a creaking wooden boat dock.

EDITED TO ADD:
For additional context, from inside my house it sounds like when you pull up to someone in traffic who's listening to music really loudly with the bass turned up, but has their windows up all the way so you mostly hear/feel the vibration of the bass. There is some weird **** going on here.

[psychmd]

I feel like I'm reading a serial horror novella or something.