I was very lucky a couple weeks ago when I was trying to track down some
line noise. At one point, all indications were it was coming from a
particular house. A walked all over the place with a VHF yagi tracker,
even to the back side of that house, and it kept pointing to that house.
So, I knocked on the door, and asked the woman whether she had any new
or erratic devices, etc., keeping a safe distance from the door. (I had
never met her before.) She gave me her phone number, and I later called
her back. She was very cooperative, and even agreed to shut off her main
breaker. Alas, it had no effect on the noise, so I apologized for the
trouble. Obviously, that could have gone very differently with a hostile
neighbor. Her dog didn't even bark at me.
The next time I went back there, the tracker pointed to a power pole
across the street from her house, and has ever since. All I can figure
is that there might have been multiple sources which added up in such a
way as to make it look like it was coming from that house.
So now I'm back to doing battle with the power company.
73,
Scott K9MA
On 5/23/2020 18:37, Hare, Ed W1RFI wrote:
Anyone have any suggestions for approaching a neighbor you have not met
(if it's in a house) in this era of social distancing?
Even without social distancing, that can be a challenge at best. The neighbor
probably bought some device or another that is making noise. Let's assume he
bought a whole basement worth of commercial fluorescent lights at a big-box
hardware store. You now have to convince him that this device is being
operated in violation of some federal law he never heard of and certainly can't
understand. (If he has to filter his device, why can't you just filter your
radio.)
Honestly, that is not a conversation that some hams want to have with a
neighbor, and some hams just walk away. Others have asked ARRL to write them a
letter, and we are willing to do that, in consultation with the ham, of course.
If you do get to have that conversation, you may need to stand by what is
right, but in a way that recognizes that the neighbor does not have your
understanding of the issues involved.
Some hams have had success approaching a neighbor about an "interesting"
problem and persuading the neighbor that local solutions to local problems are best.
Other hams have had miserable failures demanding their rights as licensed amateur
operators and threatening the neighbor with the FCC. If any good neighbors who are
friends know this guy, that may help. Keep in mind this could be something like a grow
light for, um.... indoor gardening, so some neighbors can be nervous and some even
dangerous. If you can get past that, some hams have reminded neighbors that no one wants
to get the FCC involved because the process is cumbersome and we do not know what
interagency agreements the FCC may have with other federal agencies.
First, read this link. It offers some guidance on "personal diplomacy" to help
that conversation go smoothly.
http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/RFI%20Main%20Page/InterferencePrimer.pdf
Then, go to ARRL's web page, Technology section and read the power-line
material. This is not a power-line problem but that page described the
cooperative agreement between ARRL staff and FCC staff to resolve interference
problems of all sorts.
Ed, W1RFI
ARRL Lab
Interference Primer - Parts 1 and 2 Derived from QST Lab
Notes<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/RFI%20Main%20Page/InterferencePrimer.pdf>
Interference Primer - Parts 1 and 2 Derived from QST Lab Notes (February and
March 1992) Ed Hare, W1RFI, Laboratory Supervisor, now grapples with one of the
most difficult problems in Amateur Radio: electromagnetic interference, or EMI.
EMI is a catch-all . term for TVI, RFI, BCI and any other form of
electromagnetically generated interference.
www.arrl.org
From: RFI <rfi-bounces+w1rfi=arrl.org@contesting.com> on behalf of Thomas Mills
<tsmills@bellsouth.net>
Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2020 6:21 PM
To: Gary <gary_mayfield@hotmail.com>
Cc: rfi@contesting.com <rfi@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [RFI] Noise centered around 20 meters
Could this be coming from solar panels?
Sent from my iPhone
On May 23, 2020, at 6:18 PM, Gary <gary_mayfield@hotmail.com> wrote:
I was able to borrow a portable shortwave radio today, and we clearly
determined the noise is from about a block over. I will build a loop for the radio
tonight and take another whack at it tomorrow.
Anyone have any suggestions for approaching a neighbor you have not met (if
it's in a house) in this era of social distancing?
Thanks and 73,
Gary "Joe" kk0sd
-----Original Message-----
From: WW3S <ww3s@zoominternet.net>
Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2020 11:57 AM
To: Gary <gary_mayfield@hotmail.com>
Cc: rfi@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RFI] Noise centered around 20 meters
What type of internet service do you have, DSL? Does your modem have battery
backup? I chased my tail with my cable modem, it has battery backup since I
also have voip from them as well....switching off breakers makes little
difference with battery backup devices....
Sent from my iPad
On May 23, 2020, at 12:50 PM, Gary <gary_mayfield@hotmail.com> wrote:
I was asked to do a video of the noise with no talking. You can see it here:
https://youtu.be/I_AeXh5IGYg
The noise sounds the same across the band where I can hear it 11 - 15.6 MHz. It
is the strongest around 13.5 MHz. There are no carriers that I can associate
with the noise.
I hope this helps.
73, and Thanks Again,
Gary "Joe" kk0sd
-----Original Message-----
From: RFI <rfi-bounces+gary_mayfield=hotmail.com@contesting.com> On Behalf Of
Gary
Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2020 8:46 AM
To: rfi@contesting.com
Subject: [RFI] Noise centered around 20 meters
Hey folks,
I don't work a lot of 20 meters, but was thinking I might use it
during Field Day for a 1E operation. I have some 'noise' that starts around 11
MHz and gets stronger as I tune up the band. It is about S8-S9 across all of 20
meters and finally plays out around 15.600 MHz. I made a video showing the
issue and placed it on Youtube here:
https://youtu.be/HD3sH-YjdyE
I have preformed tests turning the breakers off to my home one
at a time as well as turning the master breaker off and running the radio from
a battery. The noise is unchanged by this. The noise is there 24 hours a day 7
days a week.
The antenna is a simple ground mounted vertical in my backyard.
Any and all help and suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks and 73,
Gary "Joe" kk0sd
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--
Scott K9MA
k9ma@sdellington.us
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