For most of us, line noise is a nuisance because we are making
casual contacts, working DX, or contesting. In those cases, then line noise
be considered a nuisance and only to us...BUT
What if there was an emergency of local, state, or national concern and we
were called on to provide communications for that or another situation and
the noise impaired our communications ability to the extent that we
could not be effective.
If the noise is emanating from the power lines then the Power Company is
ABSOLUTELY responsible for repairing it.
I have been fighting this for 9 years in this location and have pretty well
forced my power company to get with it.
They have purchased quite a bit of new equipment, sent two employees
to Mike Martin's school, and are contemplating putting this into a full
time position.
I wound up taking the Power Company to Administrative Court earlier this
Year and we now have a "working agreement" where if a person complains
About line noise, they will be treated in the same manner that any other
Customer would be treated, i.e., a response within three to five days.
This should be a company wide policy for Allegheny Power.
The important thing is DO NOT let them talk down to you or talk you
Out of this problem.
If they don't react properly, contact your state utility commission, I
have done this
3 times. Although they don't have the authority normally) to require the
company to
repair the problem, they can call them on the carpet.
Go loaded with the FCC letter that is available on the ARRL website and any
other
documentation that is available.
Record the noise with your computer sound system. Invite the company in
to see how
things really are.
I used a program called "S meter lite" and charted the direction of the
noises
by turning the quad while plotting it. I printed these out and showed them
where the
noise was coming from...at least the general direction.
You might find that a lot of the people assigned to this task are in fact
hams themselves.
I have been very fortunate, in as much as my guy is a ham and very
interested in the
job itself.
Like I said before...don't take any excuses from the Power Company. If they
start that
just start showing them the documentation, FCC letter etc. Call the
commission, send
copies of the docs to the head guys of the power company, their attorneys,
anyone you
can think of.
It is a battle that is not easy to win, but the more you fight them the
more likely you will
prevail.
Good luck!
73, Tom Horton
K5IID
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