RFI
[Top] [All Lists]

[RFI] KC2IEB’s RFI Journey

To: Rfi List <rfi@contesting.com>
Subject: [RFI] KC2IEB’s RFI Journey
From: Christopher Wawak <kc2ieb@wawak.org>
Date: Sun, 11 Apr 2021 15:05:16 -0400
List-post: <mailto:rfi@contesting.com>
Hi All!

I wanted to share where I was currently with my noise issue.

Surprise surprise, I don’t think it’s solar panel noise! After doing some
more direction finding, I seem to have nailed the source down to either my
electric meter, or one of two telephone poles. Initially I used an IC-705
with the Flag antenna that was in QST recently and a DXE
preamp/attenuators. Once I verified the signature of the same noise that
I’m getting in my antennas, I went back with a cheap AM antenna, since it
was easier to record a video.

I do have an RFI log I can share on request.

I’m curious what you all think of my radio direction finding based on a
short video I created.

https://youtu.be/v3oJLtUBrlc

73
KC2IEB Chris

On Sun, Mar 14, 2021 at 3:00 PM Christopher Wawak <chris@wawak.org> wrote:

> Hi RFI List,
>
>
> I'm faced with S7-S9 noise across 40m-15m at 200khz intervals. I'm looking
> for assistance resolving this RFI I suspect is coming from a neighbor's
> solar installation. The owners are elderly, and I'm not sure they'll
> understand and be able to remedy the situation. HF is next to unusable.
>
>
> Some questions:
>
> 0. So far, do I seem on the right path?
>
> 1. What tactics have worked in the past with getting owners to respond?
>
> 2. Right now I have an AH-4 with a wire antenna. If I switched to, say, a
> fan dipole or a beam antenna would i be able to reject the solar panel
> noise? If my antenna were higher up, would that help?
>
> 3. Am I doomed to not have workable HF at home?
>
>
> 73 Chris KC2IEB
>
>
> (if the pictures are filtered, click here
> <https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSKoiPx-5huAG5M1gLmYFyMPRZ_WY0PxxoC-CH7c-dpXMQZzHuvLzNX2AB8_nb8RIsN7Ri0rmXJp6Ju/pub>
> )
>
> RFI Location
>
> Appears to be coming from solar panels on a house behind my own, about
> 275’ away. I traced this with a loop antenna and a cheap AM radio
> following to where the noise seemed loudest.
>
> Characteristics
>
> Heavy S7+ “hash” noise every ~200 khz, starting around 40m and going all
> the way up through 15m.
>
>
> Generally starts an hour or two after sunrise, and shuts down before
> sunset.
>
> Noise Log
>
> 3/13/2021
>
> 4:00 PM Local - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQZr1xXIf0Y whole house
> power off test @ 3:14 in the video - no improvement
>
>
> Gone by 7:53 PM
>
> 3/14/2021
>
> 8:38 am
>
> Some squiggles
>
> Showed up almost on the dot at 9am
>
> It’s moving down the band some
>
> Most noticeable from 20m on up
>
> .
>
>
>
> --
> -- Chris
>
_______________________________________________
RFI mailing list
RFI@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi
<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>