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[RFI] What next?

To: <rfi@contesting.com>
Subject: [RFI] What next?
From: Jeff Singer" <js@reallybig.com (Jeff Singer)
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2000 17:32:39 -0500
Hi David,

FWIW, in almost EVERY instance of TVI, the "victim" is angry, feels the
problem is YOUR fault, and fully expects you to stop operating whenever they
tell you to.

Frankly, TVI is very annoying and irritating to the recipient, so this is
understandable from their perspective. I always try to help my neighbors
out, and not only with TVI, but just as neighbors should do anyway.

However, once you make good-willed overtures, only to be rejected, you've
done all you can. It is certainly NOT your obligation to subject yourself to
her decision to react in this way (after all, it IS a decision. She could
just as easily decide to cooperate for her own benefit). If your neighbor is
willing to let you continue to help her, then by all means, do your best to
work on HER problem (the problem is hers, NOT yours). If you would like to
continue to help her, you should contact the ARRL to see if there is a local
TVI committee that can assist in an intelligent and somewhat more objective
way. However, once she sets an angry tone, your obligations are over.

There is no reason I can think of for you to stop enjoying your radios, to
the grants of your hard-earned FCC license. Just continue to operate as you
wish. Let her figure out the rest. You've done your part by making the
effort in the first place.

Also, NEVER accept blame for her problem. We are in year 2000. Technology is
hot, communication equipment is everywhere. She needs to get on the ball and
upgrade. It's unfortunate, but it's a fact of life, and not YOUR doing.

I have a similar situation here, but I have a much higher profile
installation, with a big (and legal) 92' tower with some rather large
antennas on it. I contest from here and often host other operators as well.
Sometimes we upset this one neighbor's TVs with rabbit ears, and her phones
(though I've replaced one of them). She refuses to help herself, and
continues to be extremely nasty toward me (and anyone who might answer the
phone here during radio operations, so I simply no longer pick up the phone
when I know it's her (hooray for caller ID!). I have no obligation to talk
to ANYONE, EVER.

As always, let good judgement and common sense prevail.

Good luck!

73/Jeff K2KV


> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-rfi@contesting.com [mailto:owner-rfi@contesting.com]On
> Behalf Of David C. Cleveland
> Sent: Monday, January 31, 2000 4:18 PM
> To: rfi@contesting.com
> Subject: [RFI] What next?
>
>
>
> Well I could really use some reassurance from the list.  The
> facts are this.
> I moved into a house in the city of Denver in May of last year.
> My house is
> on a small lot with my neighbors house no more than 10 feet from mine.  I
> have a GAP Titan DX attached to the garage which is about 20 feet from the
> house and by extension hers. The antenna is entirely on my
> property. I kept
> the antenna unhooked for 2 weeks to determine if there would be any undue
> reaction from the neighborhood, there was none.  I hooked up the
> antenna and
> operated at full barefoot power on my FT-920 (about 90watts cw
> and 50 watts
> ssb).  I have no problems until the 10 meter contest when the nextdoor
> neighbor comes over to complain that I'm getting into her phone, TV, and
> computer, and that she had a similar experience when I operated during the
> November Sweeps. I immediately stopped operating.  I purchased a
> Radio Shack
> TVI filter (RSU 11437571) and found excellent results on my TV closest to
> the antenna (no problems elsewhere in the house).  I did not give
> one to my
> neighbor at that time.  I operated QRP in the NAQP without complaints.
> Thinking I had the problem licked, I started operating more
> frequently, and
> at QRP power levels.  I was in a ragchew with a California
> station (QRP) on
> Sunday when my wife took the call that the neighbor was receiving
> interference in her phones and that she apparently had some
> during the NAQP.
> I ended the QSO.  Today, in response to that incident, I brought
> over to her
> the letter below as well as the indicated equipment for her to
> install.  Her
> tone was hostile, refused to take the equipment, (though she did take the
> letter, FCC and ARRL materials) and stated  "The problem isn't my
> phone but
> your hobby!"
>
> The question is: What next?
> Do I go on and operate with a clear conscience?
> Cease operation altogether?
> Operate only QRP?
> How have others of you dealt with neighbors who just don't care?
>
> Please advise, encourage, criticize, or gloat.....
>
> v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v letter sent v v v v v v v v
> v v v v v
> v v v v v v v v v v
>                                                       31, January  2000
>
>
> 825 Steele Street
> Denver, CO  80206
>
> Dear Karen,
>    I?m sorry to hear that you are still having interference
> problems when I
> transmit.  I thought we had the problem licked when I reduced power, but
> your experience on Sunday proves otherwise.
> I?ve enclosed copies of a few items that will help you understand what is
> going on, and why the interference is happening to you.  Three of the
> handouts (Appendix B, Appendix C, and the FCC Public notice ) are
> copies of
> publications directly from the FCC, the fourth is a self-help
> guide for the
> consumer published jointly by the ARRL (an organization
> representing amateur
> radio operators), and the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association
> (CEMA).  Please read them as they provide valuable guidance.
> I?ve also enclosed for you 3 other items.  The first is a High Pass Filter
> for your TV (Radio Shack Item #RSU 11437571), it should block the signals
> from my station from getting into your TV and should be placed between the
> TV and the cable connection, the instructions will show you what
> you need to
> do.  I?ve also included a male to male coax adapter you will more than
> likely need for the installation.   Secondly, I?ve supplied you with a new
> telephone (Radio Shack #43-591). This phone has been reported to be better
> at rejecting interference than others on the market.  Please try
> this phone
> the next time you encounter interference. If it does not work, I?ll bring
> over another phone that I know will reject the interference.  The
> third item
> is a telephone RFI filter (Radio Shack #43-150). Simply connect the filter
> to the modular jack on the phone, and the phone line into the
> filter.  With
> the new phone and the filter, you should be able to have your normal phone
> conversations while I?m on the air.
> Since the above equipment has cost me nearly $70, I am considering this a
> long-term loan.  If you were to ever leave the house, I?d appreciate their
> return so that any new owner could use them.  Of course if you?d like to
> purchase them, I?d be more than happy to provide receipts.
> As for your computer, I don?t know what is happening so I don?t
> know how it
> can be cured.  If the problem is just audio, there are some ferrite cores
> that can be attached to the speaker wires that should fix the problem, if
> video is the problem, the same ferrite cores might be placed on
> the cable to
> the monitor.
> Once again, I?m sorry about the problems that you are having, and rest
> assured that my station is operating within my licensed parameters, and I
> will work with you to the limit of my responsibilities and
> prudent practice
> to help you solve the problems on your end.  As we say in amateur
> radio, 73
> (best regards),
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
> David C. Cleveland
>
> ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ end of letter^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
> ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
> ^ ^ ^
>
>
> David C. Cleveland
> Amateur Radio Callsign,  KIØND
> Denver, CO  80206
> 303.377.5553
> 303.377.4222  fax
> CQC# 356,   ARS# 517,
> ARCI# 10018
> Zombie# 399,  QRP-L# 1932
>
>
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> Questions:                owner-rfi@contesting.com
>


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