The W1TRC unti is very, very sharp with the parabolic reflector. The one I
saw mentioned earlier as a Bat detector kit does not appear that it would be
directive enough but the W1TRC is super effective. The signature is very
subtle and you have to be right on the bad component. I have compared it
with the commercial Radar Engineer units that the power companies use and it
is almost identical in pinpointing the defective part on the pole. Not that
we have to do that but when you hear the arc signature on the pole you know
you have the right one. I have had occasions when it would appear a pole
was bad but no arc signature and it would turn out to be another pole
adjacent. It is possible for the arc to be covered or on top when the unit
cannot detect it but it has worked 100% for me. They power company uses a
Ultrasonic unit that is on a pole where they can sniff around once on top of
the pole. 73 Mike K4PI
-----Original Message-----
From: W2PM
Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 8:37 AM
To: <mikefurrey@att.net>
Cc: <topband@contesting.com> ; <k3lr@k3lr.com> ; Chet ; Lee Ward
Subject: Re: Topband: Noise problem question
I'm not sure this would be useful as it seems not to be very directionally
sharp. The ultrasonic device would be the last step in positively
identifying the source of the arcing so it necessarily means it has to be
extremely sharp. Less than 3 degree sense zone. You can get reasonable
sharpness at 400 MHz AM with a 5 or 6 element handheld Yagi by the way but
not sharp enough to point to actual source component up one the tower or
pole.
On high tension towers there are banks of insulators so the gapping noise is
likely from one of those, not the whole bank. This is why you have to narrow
it down. IF you're lucky and have an honest and competent power company
they'll do it and just pointing them to a specific pole or tower is fine.
They'd appreciate it (but make sure you get them all before calling them
in!)
A final note, based on my extensive working with ARRL on this topic it is
clear the industry and FCC doesn't look at solving these things in weeks.
Months minimally and often more than a year. FCC moves very very slowly and
the office which handles this has been reassigned at time to other projects
taking them off all amateur enforcement for months at a clip. That will
only get worse with diminishing budgets. I
Sent from my iPad
On Dec 22, 2011, at 7:53, <mikefurrey@att.net> wrote:
> I have one of these units ... http://pw1.netcom.com/~t-rex/ ... A nifty
> device. I purchased the complete
> unit as a kit about 7 years ago for around $40 plus shipping. I have never
> seen him advertise
> the kit, I found out about that after I contacted him. The gentleman that
> produces
> this kit is also a ham, a KC7 .... in Nevada. I added a $14 radio shack
> speaker/amplifier for
> all to hear. I have not used it to find noise, when the rain stops I'll
> see
> how it does. I does have
> about a 150' to 200' detection range on the local bats depending as per my
> gain setting.
>
> 73, Mike WA5POK
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tim Duffy K3LR
> Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2011 8:38 PM
> To: 'Chet' ; 'Lee Ward' ; topband@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: Topband: Noise problem question
>
> Hi Chet:
>
> Just add a "l" to the end
>
> http://www.midnightscience.com/ultrasonics.html
>
> I own one of these units - it is great for finding power pole problems.
>
> 73,
> Tim K3LR
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: topband-bounces@contesting.com
> [mailto:topband-bounces@contesting.com]
> On Behalf Of Chet
> Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2011 8:01 PM
> To: 'Lee Ward'; topband@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: Topband: Noise problem question
>
> The link noted below does not work for me. I am using I E 8.
>
> I tried it 3 times. Please post a better one if you have one
>
> 73
>
> Chet N4FX
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: topband-bounces@contesting.com
> [mailto:topband-bounces@contesting.com]
> On Behalf Of Lee Ward
> Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2011 8:27 PM
> To: topband@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: Topband: Noise problem question
>
> Phil, W0XI, has put a kit ultrasonic detector on the market. Well worth
> looking into.
>
> http://www.midnightscience.com/ultrasonics.htm
>
> 73, Lee, K0LW
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: topband-bounces@contesting.com
> [mailto:topband-bounces@contesting.com]
> On Behalf Of W2PM
> Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2011 4:04 PM
> To: John G3PQA
> Cc: David Raymond; topband@contesting.com; Jon Zaimes AA1K; W5UN
> Subject: Re: Topband: Noise problem question
>
> I have used one which the ARRL RF lab brought down here to address a very
> serious problem. We were able to identify the BOLT on the insulators
> where
> arcing was coming from, photograph it, attach both the audio file and the
> spectral display unique to each offender and the power company still
> reneged. Until FCC saw this and that was the end of the power company
> resistance. Problem fixed. Those devices are not easy to aim however.
> You
> need a steady hand and lots of patience.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
>
> _______________________________________________
> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
>
> _______________________________________________
> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
>
> _______________________________________________
> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
_______________________________________________
UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
_______________________________________________
UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
|