[RFI] Honda Generator RFI

[Clay Curtiss W7CE]

I'm currently using an end-fed wire through a tuner and I figured that was
compounding the problem.  I'm going to try to put up a horizontal balanced
dipole fed with twin feed this weekend and see if things get better.  Even
if it does, I'd still like to solve the problem so that I have a quiet RF
environment.  Since this location is off the power grid, I'm hoping for a
QRN free environment (at least man-made noise).

Your article is helpful.  I think I'll order a couple of toroids and try
your design.  I'm going to experiment this weekend to see if I have any
ignition noise.  If I do, it is currently masked by the RF noise.

Clay W7CE

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Tope" <W4EF at dellroy.com>
To: "Clay Curtiss W7CE" <w7ce at curtiss.net>; <rfi at contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 9:54 PM
Subject: Re: [RFI] Honda Generator RFI


> Hi Clay,
>
> We use a Honda ES6500 at our Field Day site without any special
> line filtering and don't have any problems with noise. That is not
> to say that it doesn't generate any RFI. My experience has been
> that the degree of RFI you get from a noise source like a generator
> can be very site specific. If the antennas feedlines are adequately
> decoupled from the antennas (e.g. horizontal antennas with proper
> baluns), then the amount of pick-up may be minimal. In contrast a
> vertical antenna with an inadequately decoupled feedline may
> pick-up a lot of noise from the same source. I had this experience
> with my Honda EU2000i generator. When I checked
> at home with my horizontal antenna, I didn't hear any noise at all.
> When I went portable with the generator using the exact same
> radio, but using an R7000 vertical mounted to my trailer hitch of
> my pickup truck instead of the horizontal antenna, the switching
> noise pickup from the inverter in the Honda was S7 to S9 on 15
> and 10 meters. I used a common mode filter to get rid of this:
>
>
http://www.dellroy.com/W4EF's-Ham-Radio-Page/Portable_Operation/EU2000i_Filt
> er.htm
>
> The Honda EU2000i also generates ignition noise on 160 meters.
> It was quite strong when I was using this generator in conjunction
> with my short top-loaded vertical in a portable setup. NL7Y suggested
> that I shield the spark-plug wire with copper braid between the ignition
> coil and the engine block to get rid of it. This knocked the ignition
> noise from the Honda engine down to below my local noise floor.
>
> 73 de Mike, W4EF............................................
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Clay Curtiss W7CE" <w7ce at curtiss.net>
> To: <rfi at contesting.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 4:29 PM
> Subject: [RFI] Honda Generator RFI
>
>
> > Does anyone have any experience with Honda generators and RFI?  I just
> > purchased a Honda EM6000GP propane powered 6KW generator for use at a
> cabin
> > that is off the power grid.  Unfortunately, the generator is creating a
> lot
> > of RFI.  At some frequencies the noise is as high as S9+10 and at other
> > frequencies it is virtually non-existant.  I don't think it is ignition
> > noise but I won't know for sure until I do some more testing.  For the
> test,
> > I'll run the receiver from a 12V battery and disconnect the AC power
> > connection at the generator.  If the noise disappears when I disconnect
> the
> > AC then I think I can safely assume that the noise is on the 120/240
line
> > itself.
> >
> > The cabin is wired for 240V with a standard breaker panel.  I'm
supplying
> > 240V from the generator to the panel.  I suspect that line filters
mounted
> > at the generator will probably do the trick, but I'm not sure.  Any
> > recommendations?  I've looked at the Corcom line filters or I could
build
> > one from toroids.  For the latter, I'm not sure which cores would be
best.
> > I need to filter 30A at 240V.
> >
> > On a similar topic, I plan on adding batteries and an inverter so that
the
> > generator doesn't need to run all the time.  I've looked at the Trace
> SW4024
> > and SW5548.  I like these units because they can automatically fire up
the
> > generator when needed.  However, they generate stepped sine wave output
> and
> > I'm concerned that I'll have the same kind of RFI that the generator is
> > producing.  Would line filters help smooth out the waveforms here?
> >
> > One other option I've considered is a 6KW isolation transfomer.  Would
> that
> > provide enough RF isolation at 1.8MHz and up?
> >
> > Any and all suggestions are welcome.
> >
> > Clay  W7CE
> >
> >
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> >
>
>