[RFI] Need Help With RFI Problem with Neighbor

[Jon Ogden]

Hi all,

Well, yesterday I was having a blast during my first phone SS and making a
nice run at accomplishing my goal of 1000 Qs.  I was at about 765 around
5:15 pm local time when I heard (and felt) a banging at my door.  It was my
neighbor.  I was killing his TV, his stereo and possibly other stuff.

Anyhow, I have had problems with this guy before.  He's very understanding
and is not an ass about it or anything.  His uncle was a ham so he's
somewhat familiar with the stuff.  I first realized he was picking me up
after this year's WPX contest.  He said I was getting in his TV.  I was
getting in mine too!  So I asked around and everyone said to use some Amidon
torroids and make common mode chokes.

I did this to my TV and stereo first and pretty much cleaned up my stuff
completely.  I then wrote up an explanation of how to wrap cords around the
cores and then took that with a couple of cores and stuck them in his
mailbox.  I told him that we may need to also put cores on his stereo and
other equipment and that if he had any problems to let me know.

Well, I'd heard nothing since last spring, so I thought all was OK.  Now he
says I am still getting into his TV which doesn't make sense.  I don't think
I am getting into the cable system.  I can watch TV in the shack and have no
problems.  Perhaps he's gotten a new cable box or VCR.

Anyhow, what's the best way to deal with this?  I am not sure which antennas
give him fits or what power levels.  So I thought of the idea of having
another ham at my station transmit on various frequencies and power levels
while I am at my neighbors house.  I could take my torroids in with me and
clean up everything all at the same time (I think if I put torroids on all
of his TV cables, power cords, speaker cords, etc. I'll be OK).  But others
have told me to make him install the stuff and not to install anything
myself.  I know it's technically not my problem, but I want to do what I can
anyhow.  I am willing to pay for all the torroids, filters, etc.  I also
figured I would get him literature from the FCC and ARRL.

The guy is really cool about it and wants to find a solution so that I can
operate and he can watch TV and listen to the stereo.  I pretty much went
QRT last night as I didn't want to accidentally aggravate the situation.
Most of the time there isn't a problem as he and his wife are rarely home
when I am home.  But weekends and contest weekends in particular are a
problem!

I also don't know if I could be the source of the problem.  My beam is a
Mosley TA-33.  I have no balun on it, just a coil of coax of 13 turns about
10" in diameter.  My gut tells me my feedline is radiating or something else
is causing interference since that antenna gives me most of my problems.
It's on a roof tower about 14 feet above the roof and about 35 to 40 feet
above the ground.  My neighbors house is about 50 to 75 feet away.  He also
happens to be to the east of me which is where I was pointing when he came
over.  I don't know if feedline radiation from the beam would cause any more
RFI problems to him than the beam itself.

I have a homebrew 4-1K amp that I run at legal limit. I have an ICE lowpass
filter and also use an antenna tuner most of the time.

Anyhow, what's the best approach to take with this guy.  My first attempt at
fixing the problem "partially" fixed it, but I don't want to make any more
attempts.  I want to get it fixed and have it be that.  Of course, I think
he thinks the problem is with my stuff.  I guess the most ideal situation
would be to move out of the neighborhood and buy a house with many acres and
no neighbors nearby.  I wish I could, but that's not practical.

Any help, including some "local" elmering from anyone in my area (Algonquin,
IL) would be appreciated.

Thanks es 73,

Jon
KE9NA


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Second Amendment is NOT about duck hunting!


Jon Ogden

jono@enteract.com
www.qsl.net/ke9na

"A life lived in fear is a life half lived."


--
Submissions:              rfi@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  rfi-REQUEST@contesting.com
WWW:                      http://www.contesting.com/rfi-faq.html
Questions:                owner-rfi@contesting.com