Good luck Ron,
When the inspector from Progress Energy came out here he was armed with a
fiberglass pole and he could shake and poke the hardware whilst listening on
the specialist radio in his truck. He found a variety of bad hardware that
way.
Mark N1UK G3ZZM
----- Original Message -----
From: "w4lde" <w4lde@numail.org>
To: "Billy Cox" <aa4nu@ix.netcom.com>; "TowerTalk"
<towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, 16 September, 2008 6:16 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Noise Folow up
> Billy,
>
> Thanks for the input, I believe I have identified the pole where the
> noise comes from but right now the radio is quite, rechecked the
> particular pole and it is also very quite, still have two poles that are
> very noisy but I think that there far enough away, 1/2 mile, that they
> don't bother me, the one thats close, 1/8 or less of a mile, is now
> quite and has been that way since yesterday.
>
> Ive started a log for noise and pole activity but right now I am blessed
> that the noise isn't bothering me, should it start again off I go with
> the VX-5R using AM receiver on 134MHz and also 332MHz. The power
> company uses 332MHz but they claimed they couldn't hear anything. I
> really don't think they knew how to use there gear since it reminded me
> of the MFJ unit and it uses a headphone to listen, there truck didn't
> have a headphone and they were relying on a meter movement.
>
> Keep the reflector posted if it starts again and what I've found. I
> will take a look at the portable Yagi and if needed start building.
> Thanks again.
>
> Thanks to everyone who responded with some great ideas.
>
> 73 de
> Ron W4LDE
>
> Billy Cox wrote:
>> Excellent progress Ron!
>>
>> Here's what I did ... I just built a HB 3 element yagi for the
>> R/S AM <aircraft band> receiver that I was using ... look in an
>> old QST for the exact details ... pretty fast/cheap/easy to build
>> and several locals have used this unit for many years now 'to hunt'
>> down their problems.
>>
>> Here's the link for the QST article ... the PDF is on their site.
>>
>> http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/pdf/099252.pdf
>>
>> Hope this helps!
>>
>> 73 de Billy, AA4NU
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>>
>>> From: w4lde <w4lde@numail.org>
>>> Sent: Sep 15, 2008 8:49 PM
>>> To: TowerTalk <towertalk@contesting.com>
>>> Cc: rfi-request@contesting.com, "Digitalradio@yahoo"
>>> <digitalradio@yahoogroups.com>
>>> Subject: [TowerTalk] Noise Folow up
>>>
>>> Original post by Ron W4LDE
>>>
>>>
>>>>>> If this question is inappropriate for the reflector I apologize but
>>>>>> as
>>>>>>
>>> of last Friday 9-5-08 I started to experience significant noise (S-9) on
>>> all
>>> bands from 160 through 15M with the lower frequencies much stronger. I
>>> thought that it was due to power line noise but it appears to be
>>> intermittent in that it completely disappeared last Friday evening but
>>> once again showed up last Saturday and stayed this way. On the Ft1000mp
>>> the noise blankers are completely ineffective. At the same time I
>>> started having internet problems and the cable company indicated they
>>> should have the speed issue fixed by Tuesday.<<<
>>>
>>>
>>>>>> The cables are run on poles until they enter a subdivision which then
>>>>>>
>>> run underground. My question is can cable lines be the possible problem
>>> to HF frequencies? The power and cable companies have been installing
>>> new poles and running new lines in the area which initially led me to
>>> believe it was a power issue however, while I was writing this email the
>>> noise completely disappeared for a few seconds and then reappeared. As
>>> I was looking out my window I noticed a cable company buck truck
>>> through the woods towards the main road, I am off now to talk to them
>>> and see what I can discover. Any suggestions?<<<
>>>
>>> ----------Follow up !!! -------------------- 9-15-08 ------------------
>>>
>>> On 9-8 I contacted the local power company via email regarding the
>>> above, unexpectedly
>>> I received a call from the Maintenance Manager who stated don't worry we
>>> will be out
>>> maybe tomorrow and find the cause. They did show up, two buck trucks
>>> and full crews plus a 332-335 MHz Yagi and noise receiver.
>>>
>>> Unfortunately they said that they couldn't find anything and suggested
>>> it might be from a neighbors home.
>>> They scanned my home but couldn't find a thing.
>>>
>>> I was one unhappy ham and expressed that they needed to keep looking.
>>>
>>> I believe I have ruled out a radio problem since the noise was about the
>>> same on a FT-1000mp and a FT-847 and neither
>>> noise blanker would dent the noise. A MFJ-Noise phasing unit helped
>>> some but only improved the noise by about 1-2 S-units.
>>>
>>> I spent some time connecting and disconnecting home devices plus
>>> disconnecting one house breaker at a time.
>>>
>>> Friday the 12th I decided that maybe I could help find the problem and
>>> using a
>>> Yaesu VX-5R and rubber ducky at 134MHz and also at 329MHz AM started my
>>> search.
>>>
>>> I found significant noise at three different power poles, all new ones,
>>> with two west of my antenna about 1/8 mile and the other
>>> to the east at also about 1/8 mile. So I thought I had found the
>>> problem and would be reporting this condition today.
>>>
>>> When I came into the shack this AM to compose the email I happen to turn
>>> on the rig and to my amazement the noise was gone.
>>> eleven days I had a Ham Radio Black out on the low bands. Was I one
>>> happy guy. I thought I better go check out the poles.
>>> Off I went and yes the noise was gone at the poles, very quite.
>>>
>>> Went out later this afternoon and took the VX-5R, things were still
>>> quite up and down the main road.
>>> After being gone for three hours as I was approaching the sub-division I
>>> turned the
>>> VX-5R back on and WAM there was the same power poles and noise. My
>>> heart sunk, O-Sh_t I shouted and my XYL
>>> who understood the situation gave me her famous look and said keep on
>>> looking, write the reflector they can help.
>>>
>>> Well after arriving home and one hour later in the shack I turned on the
>>> radio and found NO significant noise.
>>> S-0 on 20-meters, S-2-3 on 30 meters and maybe as high as S-4 on 40M, at
>>> 4PM thats not bad.
>>> I was amazed once again and kinda dumb founded as to were to look next
>>> if I have to.
>>>
>>> Here's some of my thoughts,
>>>
>>> 1. Today for the first time in the past few weeks we finally had a cool
>>> day, high around 80 (occurred around 5PM)
>>> and a low tonight of 60
>>> a) Lower temps caused all connections to tighten and when it finally
>>> warmed up around 4-5pm it started again at the poles.
>>>
>>> 2. Since there is still home building going on near us as the crews
>>> were leaving the construction site a week ago
>>> maybe they left chargers on for there power equipment and after doing
>>> there thing finally turned them off this AM and left the site.
>>>
>>> 3. I did find out that the telephone company was having lots of noise
>>> problems
>>>
>> >from there own installation. Not at my home but close.
>>
>>> a) Can't believe thats the fix since the noise stopped early on Monday
>>> which didn't give them much time to complete the task, they started last
>>> Wednesday.
>>>
>>> 4. Cool days, less power consumed by the A/C units, less amps, less
>>> noise (is it s stretch?)
>>>
>>>
>>> Ok I thought, maybe I should invest in a 144/440 hand held yagi plus the
>>> cables and adapters to help in a wider search
>>> area but wanted recommendations as to what I should be looking at if the
>>> noise returns I would be using the VX-5r on 138 am MHz and 332 am MHz.
>>> Any thoughts are appreciated.
>>>
>>> I believe I have ruled out a radio problem since the noise was about the
>>> same on a FT-1000mp and a FT-847 and neither
>>> noise blanker would dent the noise. A MFJ-Noise phasing unit helped
>>> some but only improved the noise by about 1-2 S-units.
>>>
>>> Any ideas where I should look next time and heres a pray that there
>>> isn't one, is it worth the cost to invest now or wait?
>>> get a 114/440 Yagi or just stay with a 144 hand held Yagi.
>>>
>>> Thanks for the bandwidth and thoughts, wish I could take credit for the
>>> current fix but I'm happy right now!
>>>
>>> 73 de
>>> Ron W4LDE
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> TowerTalk mailing list
>>> TowerTalk@contesting.com
>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>>
>>
>>
>>
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