[RFI] 40 Meter Noise Source Found (sort of)

[Mike Smith VE9AA]

Karin, 

 

Good work !

 

I have lots I could say (I tend to be long winded) but I will just point
this one thing out that helped me IMMENSLY one time in one particular case
of RFI.

We had a nearby lightning strike here a few yrs ago and one neighbour
incurred $30k in damage.  Mine was under $100 and the neighbour across the
street, perhaps $1000.

 

The next day I had s9+++ noise on 6m and 10m and lesser on the other bands.
After a couple days of poking around I found out it was my $1000 neighbours
battery drill charger (that was in his garage) making the racket.  

This was about 400' from my 10m and 6m antennas.

 

I made the case that since he'd had the drill 4 or 5 yrs and I had NEVER
heard it on any of my radios, then something had 'probably' been damaged in
his charger and that now it MIGHT be a fire hazard.

He was on a fixed income so what I did rather than try to convince him to
buy a new one was I bought him another (nice) cordless drill and charger (on
sale-lucky me) and swapped him for his "old and perhaps dangerous" battery
drill.  

I used it off and on for a year or so to determine that it wasn't dangerous
and just gave it to one of the guys at work, for free.  I didn't need it.
It was a good deal for both he and I.and now I have a guy at work who has a
new-to-him drill. (he doesn't have many tools)

 

I have done a couple similar "swaps" years ago for 49MHz baby monitors (and
cordless phones) to 900MHz baby monitors & phones as they use to bother me
quite bad (and me, them) on 6m.

 

Anyways...if you find it's some ballast or  Xmas lite, or lamp. or whatever.
and the owner is reluctant to switch it off, (normally it's the 'what do I
care" mentality) they may me amiable to swap it for a brand new (whatever)

 

....now if I could just get a new electric fence for my neighbour...but
that's another kettle of fish, 

 

Hi

 

Mike VE9AA

 

Mike, Coreen & Corey

Keswick Ridge, NB