[RFI] RFI affecting computer - help!

hankkier at aol.com hankkier at aol.com
Wed Mar 10 16:07:41 PST 2010


I use Writelog for contesting on Dell computer, with a Icom Pro3 radio and Microham interface for RTTY and CW. has been in place for about 5 years now without change.

last month entered first serious RTTY contest, WPX RTTY, then a week later ARRL CW. In each case I never went more than an hour, sometimes a lot less, without my computer crapping out from, I believe, RFI. froze up completely, generally halfway through an exchange being sent, without even releasing the xmit relay from the radio. only thing I could do was turn off the power to the PC and restart, and switch the radio over to SSB momentarily to kick the relay out. each time cost me 3-5 minutes to get back to where I was, often a lost qso,  I have occasionally experienced freezeups before, but never anything like this past 2 weekends.

I can't think of anything I have done to the station, except I switched from a regular mouse to a cordless variety. 
 
I have toroids on each cable going into the computer, incl keyboard and AC power line. the problem occurred when I was on both antennas (40-2CD and C31XR), posssibly even on 80, don't remember for sure. wife also complaining about constant interference with cable TV all weekend, and there are toroids on those cables too.
 
question: is there some way to determine what is causing the RFI? where it is coming from? so I can directly address it.
 
alternatively, what type (#) ferrite rods are recommended to try those on the various cables leading to the computer (and TV)?
 
or some other solution!
 
Hank  KF2O





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