[RFI] Gone then back

Battles,Richard Battles.Richard at lee.k12.al.us
Wed Feb 2 06:00:03 PST 2011


I bet that the new dimmers have gone to a PWM controller, they are not using the RC network and a SCR to control the turn on turn off times.  If it is a Pulse Width Modulation controller then that explains the rfi on 40 meters.  If it is a PWM controller then maybe a common-mode choke will work on the 120 line suppling power to the lights and controller.  I saw the other day some real small PWM controllers that would fit into
a dimmer box.  Again I would check with the neighbor and let them hear the RFI with a receiver and check the maker of the dimmer.  I would do some explaining of the problem.  This is a part 15 device and even if it is not a part 15 device, the RFI is not exceptable or allowed by law.  just like a bad door bell transformer, it cannot cause RFI.

richard
wb4byq
________________________________________
From: dalej [dj2001x at comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 5:18 AM
To: Battles,Richard
Cc: rfi at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RFI] Gone then back

It blankets the bands, worse is 40 meters, but I can hear it up on six too when my high gain M2 yagi is pointed at the house.

Lutron is a good brand, I'll keep it in mind.  I visited a local Home Depot the other day and noticed a whole shelf full of dimmer devices.  They looked like a new technology dimmers.  I'll have to check them out a little closer next time.

Tnx
Dale,k9vuj



On 01, Feb 2011, at 20:19, Battles,Richard wrote:

> I have light dimmer switches in my home with no rfi at all.  they are the Lutron type with the three way switch and dimmer.  i am wondering what frequency do you hear this rfi, is it very broad in nature.  if it is the dimmer
> then i would check the brand.
>
> richard
> wb4byq
>
> ________________________________________
> From: rfi-bounces at contesting.com [rfi-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of dalej [dj2001x at comcast.net]
> Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2011 2:15 PM
> To: RFI List
> Subject: Re: [RFI] Gone then back
>
> Hello Richard,
>
> All good suggestions and thankyou, but I rather have mfg recall defective product and that would come about with the FCC getting better at monitoring potential emitters like they monitor new ham rigs before allowing mfg to sell them.  The local home improvement stores are loaded with them.  Not all are bad, but the bad ones need to be dealt with.  A do-it-yourselfer will most always go with the least expensive solution and that will be the cheap junk.  As a legal license holder the burden of proof or enforcement should not be my responsibility. My other neighbor is at this very moment getting some remodeling done to his house.  I dread the thought of more dimmer lights on the other side of me.
>
> This comes close to neighborhood speeders for example, who happen to live across the street, the police rarely patrol so the burden is on the homeowner to snitch on the neighbor which in turn causes friction, that would apply to your method too.  I don't want to live in a war zone.  Let the mfg buck-up and clean up, but it takes a strong enforcement from the FCC which so far has not appeared at as far as I can tell.
>
> I have entertained the idea of getting the biggest KW and running it at full legal power then see what happens next.
>
> Dale, k9vuj
>
>
>
> On 31, Jan 2011, at 17:43, Battles,Richard wrote:
>
>> do what i have done.  write a complaint about the problem, address it to the ARRL, Mike Gruber, he will send them a letter, he will also copy the letter to the FCC, give them about 60 days to fix the problem, contact you if the problem has been fixed, if not then the complaint will be forward to the FCC and they will send the a letter.
>> I have found that if i was causing them RFI they will complain to someone.  I just tell my neighbors that that device is causes RFI to a license service, do some explaining, give them a sample letter that can be found on the internet, and you understand that they cannot know or understand the problem, but the RFI needs to stop.
>>
>> I have done this to two neighbors and we still speak to each other.  They need to be informed consumers, just as we are.
>>
>> Just another day in the neighborhood.  they will most likely get over it.
>>
>> richard
>> wb4byq
>>
>> ________________________________________
>> From: rfi-bounces at contesting.com [rfi-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of dalej [dj2001x at comcast.net]
>> Sent: Monday, January 31, 2011 5:31 PM
>> To: Rick Scott
>> Cc: rfi at contesting.com
>> Subject: Re: [RFI] Gone then back
>>
>> Probably a neighbors dimmer light.  I got one here too.  I can put my portable SW up to the power meter or any wires and it comes in stronger.  I know for a fact it's their dimmer because I went over with my SW rx one day and had them shut it off and the noise went away.  Sadly, our FCC does nothing about the sale of this junk and leaves it up to the licensed operator to somehow get the neighbor to fix it which is not an easy task.  Short of a class-action lawsuit against all mfg that make and import this crap, there is not much we can do about it except try to get the neighbor to co-operate and fix it, not likely.
>>
>> Good luck
>>
>> Dale, k9vuj
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 31, Jan 2011, at 17:13, Rick Scott wrote:
>>
>>> My noise went away for the weekend now its back with a vengeance.  I need to
>>> wait for the ARRL RFI guy.
>>>
>>> I have a Grundig Receiver I took in the garage and had it on the worst frequency
>>> and then shut down the house.
>>>
>>> Never went away, so its definitely external.
>>>
>>> Thing is, I can hear it on every light fixture and near the wall power when I
>>> take the mini antenna and walk around
>>> the house, so its definitely coming in on the house wire.
>>>
>>>
>>> Scotty W7PSK
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>> RFI at contesting.com
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