[RFI] How do I know if LED bulbs are noisy?

[Jim Brown]

That's a good method if you do it on all bands, preferably when those 
bands are not open so that you are more likely to hear the noise. Also 
look for it on spectrum display -- the noise, if there is any, will be 
from some sort of switching power supply built into the base of the 
bulb, and will be radiated from house wiring.

Another more sensitive method is to take a portable RX (I use a Kenwood 
TH-F6A, which has all band RX) set to some quiet frequency in the top of 
the AM band or just above it and move it around the bulbs and their wiring.

ARRL tested a bunch of LED bulbs a year or two ago and they came up 
clean, but things change and companies figure out how to build and buy 
cheaper stuff. :)

73, Jim K9YC

On Mon,3/21/2016 3:02 PM, Kim Elmore wrote:
> Simply take note of the noise level with the lights off, then turn them on. If you can't detect a change, then how ever much noise they might make isn't detectable at your station.
>
>
>> On Mar 21, 2016, at 16:39, Eric Rosenberg <ericrosenberg.dc at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> This may be a very naive question...
>>
>> I just replaced 6 CFLs in the basement (within 15 of the shack) with GE LED bulbs.
>>
>> I can't tell whether the environment has gotten any worse... the noise level in this old (80+ years) house surrounded by crumbling urban infrastructure.
>>
>> Is there a distinctive sound I should listen for? I'll poke around while an HT, but what am I looking for?
>>
>> I'm not ready to kill the power and go through the house for a one-by-one circuit audit.
>>
>> Thanks & 73,
>> Eric W3DQ
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