[RFI] need ideas on hunting down QRN-like noise source

Scott Ginsburg k1oa at comcast.net
Mon Jun 14 21:50:19 EDT 2004


I'm currently plagued with two sources of HF RFI, and for the
moment am concentrating on locating one of them. Any help
I can get from the RFI sleuths on the list would be greatly
appreciated!

The noise in question showed up about a month ago, and appears
as a combination of white noise and random, rapid static crashes.
The static crashes, or bursts, sound a lot like heavy QRN.

It is typically the loudest on 14 MHz, and can be heard from 7-24 MHz
when it's at its worst, with peaks on 14 MHz of 10 over S9. I hear no 
buzzing when listening on AM. My noise blanker has no effect.

Its presence can't be correlated with weather. I hear it on both wet
and dry days, wind or no wind.

It seems to peak from a certain direction when I listen on my HF log
periodic. I've driven the neighborhood streets (up to 2 mi away) with my 
706 and hamstick in the car and can hear what I think is the noise in 
certain locations, but never loud enough to be a "smoking gun". I 
verified it's not coming from my house, by killing power and listening 
in the driveway on my 706 to the noise.

Early morning is typically very quiet. At 6:30 AM local time I usually
hear only silence, or a few weak bursts of noise which sound like the
problem. It typically peaks by noon. I almost always hear it in the 
evening and at night.

Any hints anyone might have as to what a possible source might be or
the best way to continue trying to track this down would be
appreciated.

                                                  73,
                                                  Scott, K1OA




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