Ed,
Great resources!
The first one needs to be updated with interference images on various digital
TV formats and systems, whether OTA, satellite, fiber, copper or cellular fed.
Switched Mode Power supplies and PWM devices as interference sources should
also be covered.
Great reading on a quiet Christmas afternoon before our family dinner. The
Packers/Dolphins game is not my cup of tea.
Actually, back in the 1970's I had to explain to the property manager of a
garden apartment complex with a poorly designed master antenna system, that I
had two options for Superbowl Sunday: go play ice hockey or operate 6m. I let
her know that despite her ridiculous abuse of municipal authority regarding my
"illegal 5 foot appurtance" (3 element 6m beam) in a neighborhood of 25-35 ft
TV masts, that I would be playing ice hockey that year. I made it clear that I
had options for next season and that she needed to address her property issues
and that I was glad to help with technical suggestions and testing support.
At age 19 I became rudely aware of being on the wrong end of "selective
enforcement" and learned that I could politely, but firmly push back. :-)
73,
J. Gordon "Gordie" Beattie, Jr., W2TTT
201.314.6964
W2TTT@ATT.NET
Gordon.BeattieJr@VIAVISolutions.com
Get On The Air!
________________________________
From: RFI <rfi-bounces+w2ttt=att.net@contesting.com> on behalf of Hare, Ed,
W1RFI <w1rfi@arrl.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 25, 2022 12:36:40 PM
To: nk7z@arrl.net <dave@nk7z.net>; rfi@contesting.com <rfi@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [RFI] Another Solar Panel RFI System
About 25 years ago, ARRL was contacted by an engineer who worked with the FCC.
He had been assigned to rewrite the FCC's RFI material. We worked together over
a number of months and came up with a book on consumer interference that truly
spoke to the issues. It lived on the FCC web page for quite a while.
Unfortunately, the FCC, in its wisdom, decided that the RFI material needed to
be simplified. It removed much of what we had included earlier. Fortunately,
ARRL kept a copy and because it was authored by the US government, it is public
domain and may be circulated and used freely. So we kept that technically
accurate material on the ARRL web page. The information on interference to
consumer equipment is quite to the point and will go a long way towards helping
a neighbor to understand. My personal favorite from the book is the following:
"Stereos, electronic organs, and intercom devices, among others, can react to
nearby radio transmitters. When this happens, the device improperly functions
as a radio receiver."
The text in its entirely is available at:
http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/FCC%20RFI%20Information/tvibook.pdf
ARRL also worked with the Consumer Electronics Association and prepared a joint
publication to help consumers understand interference causes and cures.
This is no longer printed as a pamphlet, but the text is still mostly current.
(I can see some of the sources at the end need to be updated.)
The pamphlet text is available at:
https://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/Neighbor_Info/Neighbor_Info.pdf
In the event a neighbor complains to the FCC, if they cite amateur radio, the
case will end up going to Laura Smith. She is well educated on the types of
interference that can and cannot be caused by rules violations at an amateur
station, so there is little risk that the complaint alone will cause the
amateur any problems. It is most likely that she will send the case to ARRL,
who will work with the amateur and his/her neighbor under our cooperative
agreements with FCC staff.
Ed Hare, W1RFI
ARRL Lab
What To Do if You Have an Electronic Interference Problem - American Radio
Relay
League<https://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/Neighbor_Info/Neighbor_Info.pdf>
Page 5 of 7 Try the Easy Things First Sometimes, the easiest solutions are the
best. Many cases of interference can be resolved without the need for technical
investigations or knowledge.
www.arrl.org<http://www.arrl.org>
________________________________
From: RFI <rfi-bounces+w1rfi=arrl.org@contesting.com> on behalf of Dave (NK7Z)
<dave@nk7z.net>
Sent: Sunday, December 25, 2022 10:13 AM
To: rfi@contesting.com <rfi@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [RFI] Another Solar Panel RFI System
Hi Dale,
For the most part that is not going to work well... No matter how much
you talk to your next door neighbor if you interfere with their <insert
device name here>, it is almost always your fault in their minds...
The logic goes like this:
"I have a <insert device name here>, it works 99% of the time, but when
you transmit it does not work..."
How do you think most people are going to react to that situation... So
as Amateurs, we start out handicapped, because the consumer is not
educated in how RFI responsibility is parsed out. The consumer is sure
it is you, not them...
Now lets reverse the victim status...
The consumer installs a multi thousand dollar <insert device name here>:
"I paid thousands to to install this, and had professionals install
it... I bought it from a manufacturer we all know and love. It can't
be my equipment..."
Again-- education of the consumer is the driver here. If the consumer
is happy, and the system is in place, the Amateur is already behind the
8-Ball, and again, the Amateur is handicapped as a result of lack of
education on the consumers part, with regards to parsing RFI responsibility.
This places an installer, or manufacturer, in the position of telling
the consumer that their newly installed multi thousand dollar widget,
may interfere with the amateur next door, and they, (the consumer), will
have to pay more to fix the issue...
Again, the consumer is going to whine about this state of affairs, and
neither the the manufacture, or the vendor, are going to tell the
consumer this, as they may lose the sale... Again, education issues for
the consumer, and maybe penalty's for the vendor if they don't tell the
consumer might help...
Until the consumer, not the Amateur, is directly affected by RFI, the
RFI nightmare we all live in, (if we are a city), will continue.
Part of the RFI "fix" MUST include education beyond the Part 15, or 18,
stickers on equipment to consumers... The consumer views these stickers
like the tags on mattresses that say "DO NOT REMOVE UNDER PENALTY OF
LAW", they are ignored, and removed, for the most part.
I really don't see how this will get solved in my lifetime... At 70, I
have perhaps 15 to 20, (if I am lucky), years left...
It will take that long just to cycle out most of the old gear, if a
mandate were to be put in place today.
I applaud the efforts of the ARRL, the only way to work this issue is to
educate everyone involved, and get standards in place...
Maybe the next generation of hams will see less RFI...
With regards to contracts... You are dead correct Dale!
I was lucky, I got my HVAC installer to put in his contract that if RFI
were to occur at a level I was not happy with, they would fix the issue,
or remove and replace the HVAC system. I doubt I could get that
concession again today... No RFI, occurred however, as we discussed
this with the vendor prior to install, (no PWM motors were used), and
the vendor contacted the manufacturer BEFORE starting on the project.
What next door neighbor is going to tell a vendor, you had better be
ready to charge me more, if the ham next door complains...
Consumers MUST be educated about RFI responsibilities, as part of an
overall fix, if RFI is to be reduced...
73, and thanks,
Dave (NK7Z)
https://www.nk7z.net
ARRL Volunteer Examiner
ARRL Technical Specialist, RFI
ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources
On 12/25/22 01:04, Dale wrote:
> so it would seem that we hams try to work with our neighbors to minimize the
> problems from their systems
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