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Re: [RFI] FCC Complaint Filing

To: rfi@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RFI] FCC Complaint Filing
From: Dave Cole <dave@nk7z.net>
Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2019 14:56:35 -0800
List-post: <mailto:rfi@contesting.com>
Hi Brad,

You want to handle this at the lowest level possible and move up in steps, ending with the FCC.

Check out:

https://www.nk7z.net/presentations/

Look for the RFI presentation...  then check out:

https://www.nk7z.net/rfi-now/

The top link goes to an RFI presentation that touches on keeping logs, etc, while the second link goes to a three part set of blog entries covering RFI in general, and a good portion of it is devoted to logging/record keeping, and what you need to do in order to move forward...

After you have a few weeks of logs, you might consider contacting the ARRL lab... They should be able to assist you.

73, and thanks,
Dave (NK7Z)
https://www.nk7z.net
ARRL Volunteer Examiner
ARRL Technical Specialist
ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources

On 11/22/19 12:58 PM, N8GLS wrote:
At the beginning of July I had given him all the materials for the install.  
More than a fair amount of time.

Brad, N8GLS

-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Cole <dave@nk7z.net>
Sent: Friday, November 22, 2019 12:00 PM
To: n8gls@arrl.net; rfi@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RFI] FCC Complaint Filing

Hi Brad,

How much time have you allowed for the neighbor to add the filters, prior to 
your complaint?

73, and thanks,
Dave (NK7Z)
https://www.nk7z.net
ARRL Volunteer Examiner
ARRL Technical Specialist
ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources

On 11/22/19 8:44 AM, N8GLS wrote:
Thanks Dave,

Have kept my diplomacy intact throughout the entire process.  I
purchased all the chokes needed (at my cost) and gave them all to him
with the repeated offer to install myself.  Thus the reason for the
FCC complaint as I see no other recourse.  I did again last night
reach out to the ARRL for any possible intervention while this is in the FCC's 
"inbox" for action.

73, Brad N8GLS

-----Original Message-----
From: RFI <rfi-bounces@contesting.com> On Behalf Of Dave Cole
Sent: Friday, November 22, 2019 7:59 AM
To: rfi@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RFI] FCC Complaint Filing

Brad,

It seems like your neighbor was being helpful at one point...  If this
is the case, protect that relationship at all costs...  It is useful,
and will get your RFI solved a LOT FASTER, which is the goal...

   From your description, it sounds like some sort of outside light was
installed, and is without a doubt causing your RFI, be sure to keep
notes on all of this in the event the relationship turns sour, and you
do need the FCC.

Sidestep all the photos, graphs, and charts, and just offer to replace
the light at your cost.

I know that by rights you could force the issue with them, and make
them pay for replacement, but why?  The goal is to get your RFI
gone...  I have done this with several neighbors, it works, the RFI
goes away, and in most cases, the cost has been less than 50 bucks,
and the time is around a week to solve...

Again, you are in the driver seat here, but why make it hard by
involving the FCC, solving it that way will take months and months.
Replacing the light will take a weekend...

73, and thanks,
Dave (NK7Z)
https://www.nk7z.net
ARRL Volunteer Examiner
ARRL Technical Specialist
ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources

On 11/21/19 8:52 PM, N8GLS wrote:
Thanks Mike,

The RFI started occurring on the Sunday I returned from Hamvention.
Just
installed the new IC-9700 and the band scope was showing pulsating
band wide noise.  Also the s-meter on the 2m FM rig was fluctuating up
to almost full scale even though no signal was present.  Going outside
I noticed the newly installed deck lights, called my neighbor, and
sure enough he just finished Saturday installing them.  I asked him to
turn them off for a minute and the noise disappeared, turning them
back on brought it back.  I was able to get a spare light he had, took
it in the shack and regardless of being powered off pure DC or low voltage AC 
it was emitting RFI like I never saw before.
See my QRZ page for links to the videos (intentionally non-technical)
for my neighbor, the Mfg and for the ARRL.

73 de Brad, N8GLS

Mentor, OH

From: Michael Martin <mike@rfiservices.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 21, 2019 8:32 PM
To: n8gls@arrl.net
Cc: rfi@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RFI] FCC Complaint Filing
Importance: High

Hey Brad I'm sorry to hear about your issue too bad it's not uncommon!

I don't remember seeing or hearing about how you determined that
there's
lights were the issue!

I'm not second-guessing you I'm just curious as to the method you
used to
determine they were the cause of the problem.

I'd also be interested in knowing where this is, the state & town.

Best wishes to you

Get BlueMail for Android <http://www.bluemail.me/r?b=15726>

On Nov 21, 2019, at 7:12 PM, N8GLS <n8gls@arrl.net
<mailto:n8gls@arrl.net>
wrote:

I filed an "informal" complaint with the FCC a month ago regarding
RFI emanating from a neighbor's installation of LED Deck Lights done
back in May 2019.  I did receive one response that a ticket number
was assigned and have been regularly checking the status but no
further "action" yet.  I realize this may be a fairly long process
and may not go anywhere but was curious if anybody here has ever
filed a complaint and if so how long it took before some indication
of status was received
??

A little history:  The interference affects almost the entire 2m band.
This neighbor was initially cooperative and once I found a solution
(a simple combination of Chokes) I bought and gave him all the chokes
needed for the entire deck as well as offering to install them myself
or at least help.  A reply of "no help needed, I can install myself
no problem" gave me an indication of sincerity ..that was back in July.
These lights have turned on at dusk and off at about 1am every single
day since May.  I politely called him again the beginning of Oct
reminding him the interference was still emanating from the lights
and I would still install if he didn't have the time.  That call
ended with an agitated response of  "its not my problem" and "I don't
believe by merely buying these lights in any way makes me responsible
for anything", followed by "If they were so bad they wouldn't be
sold".  It was clear there was no intention of installing anything at
any time and further conversation about the situation would be
fruitless.  Left with no other solution I filed the informal
complaint and included a summary of the issue, timeline of events and
links to a
couple videos showing the interference being received as well as one
solution to remedy it.

Frustrating to say the least, and sadly, words like "cooperation",
"politeness", "neighborly" and "respect" don't seem to mean much
these
days.

73 de Brad, N8GLS


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