[RFI] Documenting Power Line Noise

[dgsvetan at rockwellcollins.com]

Ford,

I agree with KA5S and his video suggestion.  A thorough video, with sound,
whether done in your shack or mobile, is a very power ful tool.  Be sure to
provide date and time information.  If you don't have a means to make a
video, then at least record typical band noise levels now (save date and
time of day) for comparison level.  You can do this either in your station
log or (better yet) an Excel spreadsheet on your computer.  Be certain to
note frequencies checked and antenna used for each reading.  Record in
S-units.  The power guys won't understand S-units, but they will understand
that higher readings = higher noise.   If you can borrow a spectrum
analyzer, make plots with it and save the plots.

An important note:  those "gizmos" are most likely VHF units designed to
spot local arcing.  You say in your posting that local AM stations are
wiped out at certain locations along the lines.  Well, if those locations
are NOT in front of your QTH, then the real source of the noise is probably
not in front of you, either.  The wires are excellent antennas, and the key
to killing the racket is going to be finding the pole (or poles) where the
arcing is taking place.  If you can send the power guys to a pole that is
at or very near to where the noise level is max, they might be able to use
their detectors to localize it from that point.  It sounds like more than
one location is very loud, so it may take a few tries to find the real
culprit.  If they have an AM radio in their truck, have them follow you
along the road so they get the idea.

I can tell you that I got excellent service from the Com Ed guys in the
Chicago area some years ago when I was able to report exact pole numbers
and locations of those poles.  By "excellent", I mean same-day service!

Best luck.

73, Dale
WA9ENA




                                                                                                                                       
                      "Ford Peterson"                                                                                                  
                      <ford at cmgate.com>        To:       <rfi at contesting.com>                                                          
                      Sent by:                 cc:                                                                                     
                      rfi-bounces at conte        Subject:  [RFI] Documenting Power Line Noise                                            
                      sting.com                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                       
                      08/24/2004 04:07                                                                                                 
                      PM                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                       




I live on a rural property in the shadow of a nasty power line.  It runs
along the highway in front of my property.  When that baby is under full
load, S9 noise throughout the HF spectrum is not out of the norm.

They've been pretty good about fixing it near my property, but as you drive
along the length of it, most major AM stations are swamped out from the
noise at certain locations.

Recently, that line is down.  They are doing maintenance to a line that
runs perpendicular to it and the noise level around here is nill.
Absolutely nill.  I love it.  I can see the shorting straps connected on
the lines to protect the workers as they replace all the poles on an aging
line about 1/2 mile from here.

My question?  How do I document my lack of noise today, so I can compare it
to and PROVE to the power line techs that their line is junk?  I've had
them out here before and they sniff around poles with a gismo that looks
like a 450MHz 4 element yagi.  But I'm worried about HF.  The 160M noise
off that line has been known to be +20 over S 9.  Right now it is NILL wil
the preamps on.  I want to be able to prove to them that they are WAY out
of compliance and the toys they show up with to find 'hot spots' is nothing
but a joke as the entire line radiates hash noise throughout low HF.

Ford-N0FP
ford at cmgate.com


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