Walter - Good response!
73
Bob K4TAX
Walter Dufrain wrote:
>
> Welcome to the farm, Dan. We have 3 fence chargers here and yes
> they will all create QRN to telephones, tv's, stereo's, ham rigs,
> scanners and most anything else you can think of that has a detector.
>
> QST had an article on fence chargers maybe two years ago. The
> article was too brief, at least to me.
>
> The wire that is the "fence" is a mega antenna for ANY sparks
> that are created from poorly formed wire splices, any of the
> gate hooks (this is a major problem) and a poor ground connection.
>
> If you have noise, then find the sparks or arcs and you have solved
> the problem. Most of the newer fence chargers are solid state and
> do not have any internal arcing of switch contacts or relays.
>
> I use an old portable AM radio with a built-in loopstick antenna.
> Tune it to the upper end of the band that is not on a station. If
> you start at the fence charger and walk all the way around the fenced
> area you are going to notice the Hot Spots, which are normally the
> wire splices which are just loosely wrapped instead of being tight.
> As oxidation forms on the aluminum or steel wire outter surface
> you are going to get arcs and sparks. If you will just take the time
> to turn off the charger and go all the way around and re-connect
> the fence wire and make sure every gate hook is cleaned with a
> wire brush, I would bet your problems will be solved.........until
> the next weed or bush or tree limb lays across the electric fence.
>
> The point that I would like to make is that even though the electric
> fences are handy, they are very very labor intensive to keep a clean
> RF environment. If you still have trouble finding a problem spot,
> then maybe get out there at night and walk the line, look and listen
> for the "tics and arcs".
>
> Most of the rigs at my QTH are homebrew and do not have noise
> blankers so I like the fences very quite.
>
> 73 and hope this helps, Walter Dufrain, AG5P.........Wright City, MO
>
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