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Re: [RFI] Smoke Detectors Beeping

To: Stan Zawrotny <k4sbz.stan@gmail.com>, "Wes Attaway (N5WA)" <wesattaway@bellsouth.net>
Subject: Re: [RFI] Smoke Detectors Beeping
From: JW via RFI <rfi@contesting.com>
Reply-to: JW <jwin95@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 28 Jul 2018 00:14:53 +0000 (UTC)
List-post: <mailto:rfi@contesting.com>
Well, I didn't see loops mentioned, and, there is a chapter on those in the 
ARRL antenna books too.
And I don't mean full-wave loops necessarily either, as I use a 1/4 wave 
vertical loop on 160 m meters (it functions as a 1/2 wave loop on 80m and FW 
loop on 40m) about 20 feet from the house and the PC speakers do not bark like 
they do with a dipole over the house on any band.
"Open  frame" antenna s like OCF and dipoles are notorious for E-field 
induction of displacement currents into anything nearby from the high voltages 
appearing at each open end. 
de Jim WB5WPA



      From: Stan Zawrotny <k4sbz.stan@gmail.com>
 To: Wes Attaway (N5WA) <wesattaway@bellsouth.net> 
Cc: "<Rfi@contesting.com>" <rfi@contesting.com>
 Sent: Friday, July 27, 2018 3:17 PM
 Subject: Re: [RFI] Smoke Detectors Beeping
   
Wes,

 I am aware of my options for antennas - fan dipoles, slopers, G5RV, EFHW
antennas, etc. - some with less RFI, but I choose OCF dipoles for their
performance.

I think I have read almost every article and blog written on-line about
feed systems. I am getting desperate.

Thanks for your recommendation for the  BRK, Model 41208.  I will check
them out.

Stan

___________________
Stan Zawrotny, K4SBZ
K4SBZ.Stan@Gmail.com

Real radio bounces off the sky.


On Fri, Jul 27, 2018 at 2:19 PM, Wes Attaway (N5WA) <
wesattaway@bellsouth.net> wrote:

> Stan .... you will probably get a lot of different responses.  Here is one.
>
> I use some smoke detectors made by BRK, Model 41208.  I think I bought them
> at Home Depot.  They have never shown any sign of being susceptible to RFI.
>
> I use two OCF antennas.  One is 40-10 and the other is 80-10).  The
> impedance of OCFs is nominally around 200-ohms and the usual practice is to
> use a 4:1 balun at the feedpoint to get close to a match with 50-ohm
> feedline.  I also use a 1:1 choke just below the 4:1 balun and another
> inside the shack.  The chokes are 17-turns of RG8X cross-wound on FT-43
> 2.5"
> core.  I have never experienced any RFI anywhere in the house (my shack is
> in my office inside the house).
>
> Fan dipoles are popular and are probably better than OCFs but they have
> their own set of mechanical and installation problems.  I use OCFs because
> the fit the tree layout in my yard, whereas fan dipoles won't fit without
> cutting down some trees.
>
> In any event, I think you should change your feed system.  There are plenty
> of articles online about this.
>
>
>    -------------------
> Wes Attaway (N5WA)
> (318) 393-3289 - Shreveport, LA
> Computer/Cellphone Forensics
> AttawayForensics.com
>    -------------------
> -----Original Message-----
> From: RFI [mailto:rfi-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Stan Zawrotny
> Sent: Friday, July 27, 2018 12:50 PM
> To: <Rfi@contesting.com>
> Subject: [RFI] Smoke Detectors Beeping
>
> I have been troubled for quite some time with our smoke detectors
> frequently beeping (two beeps) when I am working HF. It is worst on 80 and
> 40, but also occurs frequently when I am on 15 and 20 meters.  The beeping
> will be intermittent at intervals of 1-3 minutes and will last for a couple
> of minutes after I am through transmitting.
>
> I has happened with several rigs. Yaesu FTdx5000, Flex-6600M and Icom
> IC-7300, at power ranging normally from 50-100 watts.
>
> Of course, the antenna system is likely the culprit. It consists of several
> OCF dipoles: one 160-10 M and two 80-10 M. (I know OCF dipoles are bad for
> RFI). All have 1:1 baluns at the antenna and at the shack.
>
> I have tried clip-on ferrite beads on the power leads of the smoke
> detectors without luck.
>
> I just bought a DX Engineering Feedline Current Choke (DXE-FCC050H05-B)
> that is supposed to suppress RFI on antenna leads. That is ineffective.
>
> I am now considering replacing the entire smoke detector system. We share a
> house with my daughter and there are 9 units tied together in the system,
> so the cost will not be small.
>
> Are there other solutions?
>
> Are there brands of smoke detectors that are less susceptible to RFI than
> others.
>
> Any other thoughts?
>
> Stan
> ___________________
> Stan Zawrotny, K4SBZ
> K4SBZ.Stan@Gmail.com
>
> Real radio bounces off the sky.
> _______________________________________________
> RFI mailing list
> RFI@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi
>
>
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