So....
Recently I started experiencing an intermittant very high noise level here:
+40dB over S-9
on 80 meters, and it was especially bad when it was raining.
The noise blanker in my rig, an FT-890, would take most of it out, but the
noise still made
operation difficult.
I suspected the noise was coming from something possibly touching the 13.6 kV
power line
running down our alley behind the house, but couldn't determine what it was
exactly.
I called the local power company a day or two ago to register a complaint of
this RFI, and
suggested that it might be simply a tree-branch touching the line. I asked that
their RFI
"person" become involved too, and I was told they would notifiy that department.
Anyway, a day later, a rep from the company showed up at our front door. He was
an older
man, I would estimate in his 60s, with a mustache, and he was kinda skinny. I
liked him
immediately.
I explained the problem, then took him through our home to the back door,
showed him the
power line and the tree.
He told me he would report the tree problem and suggest to the company that
they come to
trim the trees.
Then he left.
Very shortly thereafter, I heard a loud "boom" from up in the alley region like
there was
some sort of "minor" short circuit to the 13.6 kV power line somewhere.
Later that day, I went to the shack and discovered that the tremendous noise
was no longer
in evidence. I was somewhat surprised and pleased.
Today, I called the power company out of curiousity to find out what,
precisely, had
happened to clear the noise problem.
There was no note in the record of anything having been done.
I suspect that the old fart, who was obviously very experienced, took a look,
found a
problem and fixed it, then didn't bother to write it into the record, probably
because he
wasn't "authorized" to do such work.
:-)
Anyway, the bands are now as quiet as they have ever been.
Ken W7EKB
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