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[RFI] Neon Light Interference

To: <rfi@contesting.com>
Subject: [RFI] Neon Light Interference
From: Stephanie WX3K" <wx3k@ptd.net (Stephanie WX3K)
Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 01:03:45 -0400
Im not so sure the ac line filter would help too much in this case. The neon
light tubes are radiating themselves.

As far as the wrapping each tube end to end with wire........Wouldnt
wrapping the the tube end to end obscure the actual light itself. In any
event, this method is totally impractical.

Stephanie R. Koles WX3K
wx3k@arrl.net
http://www.wxpage.com

Mt. Holly Skywarn Technical Committee - Vice Chair
Skywarn Coordinator for Somerset County, NJ
Mt Holly Skywarn Webmaster
Eastern PA Radio Assoc. - Vice President



----- Original Message -----
From: "EDWARDS, EDDIE J" <eedwards@oppd.com>
To: "'Stephanie WX3K'" <wx3k@ptd.net>; "'RFI'" <rfi@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2001 9:13 AM
Subject: RE: [RFI] Neon Light Interference


>
> You have two problems:
> 1) The noise.
> 2) The owner of the neon sign.
>
> ARRL's RFI Book has a fix to try for the noise.  A good AC line filter
> mounted right at the transformer, and 10Kohm-1W resistors in series with
> each high voltage line.  Make sure the transformer case is bonded to a
good
> ground.  It also says if that doesn't do it, try winding thin magnet wire
> around each tube's entire length (Ugh!) and ground each end of the wire.
6
> or 7 turns per foot is sufficient.  From your description, it sounds like
> you may need to do the magnet wire.
>
> As for the 2nd problem: The owner.  Perhaps you could talk the local power
> company into visiting the owner's pizza place with DFing equipment looking
> for a source of noise that they've traced to the sign?  This might make
the
> owner more cooperative since it now appears to be a problem with the
> utility, and nobody wants to tick-off the power company, especially
someone
> who's business is dependant on electricity!  We've tried this before, and
> when our tech says something to the effect that we cannot have his
equipment
> feeding noise onto power company lines per federal rules, they invariably
> get an electrician to fix the problem.  It's good if the power company guy
> leaves some tips on how to fix the problem as well since a run-of-the-mill
> electrician might not know how to fix it.  Hopefully you'll be able to get
> some help along these lines.
>
> 73,
> de ed -K0iL
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Stephanie WX3K
> > Hi folks,
> >
> > My turn to share an ongoing interference problem. Actually, I have 2
noise
> > sources......The power line problem I mentioned earlier AND the neon
light
> > problem I have had for a couple of years now.
> >
> > The pizza place down the road, 1/4 mile away, has a large externally
> > mounted
> > neon light array on their building. This blasted array is emitting so
much
> > RF across the whole HF band, it is amazing. The pizza owner as the
> > previous
> > one is ignorant and unwilling to cooperate to help resolve the issue.
All
> > the noise problems I have are emitted right off the light array around
the
> > edge of the building. I have consulted with some neon light experts and
> > they
> > are basically telling me that the array is breaking into oscillation
> > because
> > the installer used the wrong voltage transformers.
> >
> > Suggestions on the approach I should use with this problem ?
> >
> >
> > Stephanie R. Koles WX3K
> > wx3k@arrl.net
> > http://www.wxpage.com
> >
> > Mt. Holly Skywarn Technical Committee - Vice Chair
> > Skywarn Coordinator for Somerset County, NJ
> > Mt Holly Skywarn Webmaster
> > Eastern PA Radio Assoc. - Vice President
> >
> >
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>


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