[RFI] 15 meter RFI problem - Super documentation

Fri Apr 6 16:34:10 PDT 2012

Actually, I probably shouldn't have responded to a 2008 post at all. :-)  I had moved all of my RFI at contesting.com email to an archive folder and accidentally left 4 of them behind. When I went back to look at the reflector folder, seeing 4 posts, I just assumed they were new and responded.  Hey, if it's the worst mistake I make this year, I can live with it.

The device does seem to still be available, so I will order one anyway, so this mistake actually may do some good.

I can offer a few points that are worth mentioning.

First, this forum is an excellent tool for those who want information about RFI, and to discuss it with others. Although ARRL has an RFI section in its forums, I don't expect that it will ever replace this reflector.  In fact, the ARRL web pages will continue to point to this list first as the best source of discussion about RFI.

ARRL staff do read a lot of the posts here, although when my life gets busy, as does Mike Gruber's, W1MG, we may be more lurkers than posters. I'm trying to change that, because although there are some top-notch folks here, Mike and I may be unique in the absolute breadth of our contact and involvement with nearly all aspects of RFI that may affect Amateur Radio.  That breadth, combined with the experience and depth of knowledge of a group of people that offer ARRL staff excellent advice on RFI matters, can and will make a difference nationally and internationally with respect to some of the RFI problems we all face.

I mention this not for a pat on the back, as we get to do this work as paid staff, so there is nothing special about us -- just the amount of time we can devote to Amateur Radio RFI issues. I also offer this to make what I think is an important point -- although Mike and I do spend time here, please don't assume that if you post it here, we have seen it.  In cases such as devices that appear to be operating way above the FCC limits, especially intentional emitters like this video camera, ARRL can move fairly quickly to buy and test a device and either persuade the seller to stop selling it, or to file a formal complaint with the FCC. But we can only do that for devices we know about, and there are LOT more eyes on this list than the 4 eyes that work in the ARRL Lab, so please do involve the Lab staff and report these problems.  I am always running across old posts about things we could have helped with, had we only known. Use the address rfi at arrl.org to contact Mike and me and we will do what we can to help with RFI problems.

In cases that involve actual interference to hams from consumer devices, the ARRL Lab has a cooperative agreement with the FCC that can, when the time is right, facilitate getting FCC involvement in an RFI case, in a way that allows them to send advisory letters to those generating noise, based on a good report and well-documented attempts to fix the problems.

73,
Ed Hare, W1RFI
ARRL Laboratory Manager
225 Main St
Newington, CT 06111
Tel: 860-594-0318
Email: W1RFI at arrl.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Gary K9GS [mailto:garyk9gs at wi.rr.com]
Sent: Wed 4/4/2012 7:07 PM
To: rfi at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RFI] 15 meter RFI problem - Super documentation

This one is pretty good too...look at the bottom of the page.

http://secureviewvideo.com/secureviewspecs.html

On 4/4/2012 3:18 AM, Hare, Ed W1RFI wrote:
> I just ordered one and will report our findings here.
>
> My personal favorite page from their web site:
>
> http://store.secureviewvideo.com/catalog/consumer_alert.php
>
> 73,
> Ed Hare, W1RFI
> ARRL Laboratory Manager
> 225 Main St
> Newington, CT 06111
> Tel: 860-594-0318
> Email: W1RFI at arrl.org
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Hare, Ed W1RFI [mailto:w1rfi at arrl.org]
> Sent: Wed 4/4/2012 4:07 AM
> To: k3lr at k3lr.com; rfi at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [RFI] 15 meter RFI problem - Super documentation
>
>
>
> Based on that report, the signal levels involved and the distances, I have little doubt that the device is operating WAY above the emissions limits for this sort of device. It appears to be a carrier-current device (a device that intentionally conducts signals onto power lines), which would have a limit on HF that would be approximately S9+10 dB to a Yagi located 30 meters from the wiring.   If this is being heard for 2 miles, radiated from house wiring, I can't imagine that it is legal.
>
> If this is still available, I'll get one and we can measure its field strength.
>
> The other device mentioned at the end of the article appears to be a HomePlug product.  HomePlug products do meet the emissions limits and, better news yet, do not use the Amateur bands. They can and do cause interference to other HF use, such as shortwave broadcasting, WWV, but few hams are willing to initiate formal harmful interference complaints as a result.
>
> I had been trying to get interference assessments and reports from a number of BPL areas, to little avail, but when IBEC recently shut down all of its BPL operations, I heard from a number of hams telling me how happy they were that all the noise on shortwave broadcast was gone.
>
> 73,
> Ed Hare, W1RFI
> ARRL Laboratory Manager
> 225 Main St
> Newington, CT 06111
> Tel: 860-594-0318
> Email: W1RFI at arrl.org
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: rfi-bounces at contesting.com on behalf of Tim Duffy K3LR
> Sent: Sun 4/20/2008 3:18 PM
> To: rfi at contesting.com
> Subject: [RFI] 15 meter RFI problem - Super documentation
>
>
>
> Thanks to Greg, W8WWV who found this RFI source and detailed his experience.
>
> http://www.seed-solutions.com/gregordy/Amateur%20Radio/Experimentation/Secur
> eViewRFI.pdf
>
>
> 73!
> Tim K3LR
> http://www.k3lr.com<http://www.k3lr.com/>   <http://www.k3lr.com/>
> K3LR DX Cluster telnet://dx.k3lr.com
>
>
>
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-- 

73,

Gary K9GS

Greater Milwaukee DX Association: http://www.gmdxa.org
Society of Midwest Contesters: http://www.w9smc.com
CW Ops #1032   http://www.cwops.org

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