[RFI] Power line RFI

[Pete Smith]

At 02:20 PM 10/9/2008, RFI Services wrote:
>It is rare that the cause of these RFI sources are creating a loss to the
>system because it is mostly likely an induced voltage that energizes the
>hardware. Therefore the current is very low and rarely detectable using
>infrared. The loss to the system due to the EMF is there whether the gaps in
>the hardware are present or not.


An anecdote in support - the loudest power line noise source at my QTH 
turned out to be the bracket of a lightning arrestor -- not the arrestor 
itself, but the bracket.  It was mounted to the tower with two lag screws - 
a woodpecker had undermined the bottom one, causing it to come loose, and 
sparking was occurring between the loose screw and the bracket.  The 
lineman who replaced it told me that the company is now using single-screw 
brackets for exactly this reason.

73, Pete N4ZR