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Re: [RFI] Across-the-bay line noise from 17 miles away

To: RFI@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RFI] Across-the-bay line noise from 17 miles away
From: "doc@kd4e.com" <doc@kd4e.com>
Reply-to: doc@kd4e.com
Date: Tue, 01 Feb 2011 10:06:33 -0500
List-post: <rfi@contesting.com">mailto:rfi@contesting.com>
This story should be in QST.

doc

 > John Pelham wrote:
> Peter, K3ZM, posted this amazing story in another venue. He gave me
> permission to post it here. I'm hoping you find it as interesting as I did.
> It's FYI only; as far as I know he doesn't monitor this reflector.
>
>
>
> *************************************
>
> As most of you know, I have been plagued by line noise from the Southeast
> for more than a year.  On the new XMIT four square, it is S9 when pointed SE
> without the K3's attenuator on and on AM detector.  On the RX four
> square(s), it is S7 with their pre-amps in line and AM detector on.  I have
> simply dealt with it.  But it has disrupted my ability to phase my pair of
> Receive four squares broadside to EU and in-line to JA and really annoys me
> in general.  So, I ramped up my efforts to track it down.
>
> I am blessed now with three different very directive switchable arrays on
> 160m.  With these, I narrowed the noise down to an azimuth of 140 degrees,
> plus or minus 5 degrees, I thought.  That was pretty good detective work.
> The noise is very faint on 80m and disappears above 6.2 mhz, another large
> clue.
>
> I proved that the noise was not coming from the three houses (that's all
> there is - remember, I'm practically on the coast line!) to my southeast,
> two of which are almost never occupied anyway.  All was silent here on the
> mainland for all that I could ever determine.
>
> Horrified, I faced the inevitable conclusion that the noise was coming from
> the Eastern Shore of Virginia, on the OTHER SIDE OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY.  To
> the southeast, this would be at least 17 miles away.  I thought I was safe
> here.  That's why we chose the place!!
>
> So on Thursday, I drove there.  It is a 2 1/2 hour drive, each way.  Over
> the York River (as in Yorktown), over and under the James River, past VA
> Beach, then over the 17 mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to the Eastern
> Shore.
>
> I targeted the town of Cape Charles, which was very close to my determined
> azimuth.  As soon as I got close to downtown Cape Charles, I knew I had
> found the mother lode.  I found the pole.  It was arcing.  You could hear it
> buzzing audibly.  As a bonus, I found another bothersome pole, which was a
> mere amateur compared to the really bad one.  I used the car radio, a
> general coverage Yaesu receiver that belonged to our late brother-in-law, my
> MFJ 2m AM noise-finding dipole, and my MFJ 2m AM noise-finding yagi.
>
> I called the power company on the Eastern Shore at 8 AM today.  They had a
> crew at the pole by 10:00 AM and confirmed my suspicions.  Would it be okay
> if they didn't get it fixed until later in the day?  they asked.  "Fine," I
> said.   (!!!)
>
> The noise disappeared at 2PM.  Hallelujah!
>
> I drove 5 hours to track down this noise source, traversing three large
> bodies of water and paying $19 in tolls.  It doesn't get much better than
> that.
>
> ****************************************
>
> 73,
>
> John, W1JA

-- 

Thanks! & 73, KD4E
David Colburn http://kd4e.com
Have an http://ultrafidian.com day
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