I may have posted this here once before, but just in case... In
another recent post, someone bemoaned how it seems impossible to do
anything to encourage people to get rid of their problematic (from an
RFI standpoint) equipment. I have, exactly *once,* been able to pull
off such a feat off without the owner's knowledge. Here's the story:
About 20 years ago, when I lived in Colorado, I had a ne'er-do-well
neighbor behind me by the name of Bobby. This was a bit of a jerk and
had complained bout my radio activities in many different ways
having nothing to do with radio. But, once he came over to my place
with some "muscle" in tow (his brother-in-law, who was actually named
Bubba) to tell me how much RFI trouble I was causing. I happily
showed him and Bubba the station, deonstrated that I didn't bother
any of my stuff, handed 'em an FCC RFI booklet, and sent 'em away
somewhat confused. Bubba was pretty reasonable and told my neighbor,
Bobby, that everything seemed OK at my house, so...? I never heard
much more from Bobby, though I did get a phone
call or two, always when I *wasn't* on the air.
Then Bobby got a touch lamp in his second-floor living room, which
was easily visible from my operating position.
That touch lamp was a pretty sensitive receiver and even at 100W, it
went completely nuts on 20 m. I use CW almost exclusively, but SSB
did it in, too. For a long time, he couldn't figure it out, but one
day while I was finishing up catching some DXpedition, I saw him out
on his balcony looking carefully over at my house. I ducked down out
of sight and programmed my keyer to send "RFI TEST DE N5OP"
continuously at 20 s intervals. I then went out and mowed my lawn. He
watched me mowing my lawn while his touch lamp went nuts and finally
went back inside and unplugged it. He certainly couldn't accuse me of
the problem because I was outside, mowing the lawn!
But that's not the end: I had a good friend over one night who had
just passed his Tech. I saw my antagonist in his living room,
watching his TV, with his beloved touch-lamp on.
We grabbed some binoculars and I said "Watch this."
Keeping all lights off, I programmed my keyer with "RFI TEST DE N5OP"
and fired up my TS-930S. As if my magic, his touch lamp began its
routine. He got out of his chair and looked at my house. Dark as a
tomb. He readjusted the lamp and just as he sat down, it started
again. He did this trick several times and every time, as if on cue,
it went nuts again right about when he sat down. By this time my
friend was almost unable to breathe due to his laughter. But then
came the "piece de resistance:" the lamp started its routine again
and this time the guy leaped out of his chair, grabbed the lamp and,
shaking it as if he were choking it, ripped it out of the wall socket
and *threw* it down a hallway. Needless to say, that put the poor
touch lamp out of its misery
and solved my RFI problem.
My friend complained for some days afterward that his sides hurt from
so much laughing. Mine did, too.
73 & MX,
Kim N5OP
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