[RFI] A minor mystery...

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

So....

Recently I started experiencing an intermittant very high noise level here: +40dB over S-9 
on 80 meters, and it was especially bad when it was raining.

The noise blanker in my rig, an FT-890, would take most of it out, but the noise still made 
operation difficult.

I suspected the noise was coming from something possibly touching the 13.6 kV power line 
running down our alley behind the house, but couldn't determine what it was exactly.

I called the local power company a day or two ago to register a complaint of this RFI, and 
suggested that it might be simply a tree-branch touching the line. I asked that their RFI 
"person" become involved too, and I was told they would notifiy that department.

Anyway, a day later, a rep from the company showed up at our front door. He was an older 
man, I would estimate in his 60s, with a mustache, and he was kinda skinny. I liked him 
immediately.

I explained the problem, then took him through our home to the back door, showed him the 
power line and the tree.

He told me he would report the tree problem and suggest to the company that they come to 
trim the trees.

Then he left.

Very shortly thereafter, I heard a loud "boom" from up in the alley region like there was 
some sort of "minor" short circuit to the 13.6 kV power line somewhere.

Later that day, I went to the shack and discovered that the tremendous noise was no longer 
in evidence. I was somewhat surprised and pleased.

Today, I called the power company out of curiousity to find out what, precisely, had 
happened to clear the noise problem.

There was no note in the record of anything having been done.

I suspect that the old fart, who was obviously very experienced, took a look, found a 
problem and fixed it, then didn't bother to write it into the record, probably because he 
wasn't "authorized" to do such work.

:-)

Anyway, the bands are now as quiet as they have ever been.

Ken W7EKB

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