[RFI] Noise location tools

[Chuck Gooden]

Have you seen this?

https://www.sv1afn.com/rfattenuator.html

Chuck - K9LC


On 1/17/2018 9:43 AM, Dave Cole (NK7Z) wrote:
> Actually Don, we are both agreeing with Jim, K9YC with regards to the 
> dish.
>
> I could not agree with you more with regards to an attenuator.  My 
> biggest problem was overload.  I am in the process of building an 
> attenuator for my MFJ three element 135 MHz beam, and radio.  MFJ put 
> the receiver at the feed-point, so adding an attenuator involves 
> moving the radio to the handle, via an attenuator.
>
> I have been using loops of late, they have a really sharp null, and if 
> you hang a hunk of ferrite material at the feed-point, on the coax, 
> the pattern gets even sharper!
>
> I also move up in frequency, and prefer that as opposed to adding 
> attenuation.  If I can reduce signal that way, I do, else in comes the 
> attenuator.
>
> Most locates of late have been just drive around with the truck, 
> listening on 40 meters, and shorten/lengthen the screwdriver as needed 
> to attenuate signal.
>
> The last locate took 5 minutes that way, and I am in month 2 of taking 
> notes to make sure if the FCC is involved, I have done it all 
> correctly.  Hopefully the light owner will just add filters, and that 
> will end the issue.  I always worry about contacting light 
> operators...  One of these days I will find a crazy one...
>
> 73s and thanks,
> Dave
> NK7Z
> http://www.nk7z.net
>
> On 01/17/2018 05:41 AM, Don Kirk wrote:
>> I agree with Dave, an audio dish would be the last thing I would buy 
>> (lowest priority item).  A problem I found while working with the 
>> local power company that had an ultrasonic dish is that we could 
>> detect arcing on every pole we checked, but out of all the poles we 
>> checked there was only one pole that was the root cause of the RFI I 
>> was hearing at my house 1.1 miles away.
>>
>> The most important feature I have found on any of my portable radio 
>> direction finding systems (HF or VHF) that I use for tracking down 
>> RFI is the ability to throw in a lot of attenuation when I get close 
>> to the source.  If you get close to the source and the signal is full 
>> strength even on the nulls of the antenna, there is then no way you 
>> can do additional direction finding.
>>
>> Don (wd8dsb)
>>
>> On Wed, Jan 17, 2018 at 8:23 AM, Dave Cole (NK7Z) <dave at nk7z.net 
>> <mailto:dave at nk7z.net>> wrote:
>>
>>     Hello Mike,
>>
>>     No need for the dish, it just locates arcing, and that is the Power
>>     companies job.  Across the two years I had a dish, I think I used it
>>     once or twice.
>>
>>     Better you save your bucks and build a loop with the saved cash. You
>>     will get a lot more use out of the loop than the dish.
>>
>>     73s and thanks,
>>     Dave
>>     NK7Z
>>     http://www.nk7z.net
>>
>>     On 01/16/2018 08:36 PM, W0MU Mike Fatchett wrote:
>>
>>         Thanks all!
>>
>>         Other than the ultra sonic dish I have most of the other pieces
>>         parts.
>>
>>         Appreciate all the links and hints too!
>>
>>         W0MU
>>
>>
>>         On 1/16/2018 9:17 PM, Dave Cole (NK7Z) wrote:
>>
>>             Hi,
>>             See:
>>
>>             http://nk7z.net/rfi-now-house-cleaning/
>>             <http://nk7z.net/rfi-now-house-cleaning/>
>>
>>             for a three part series on how I managed to calm down my RFI
>>             environment.  Also see:
>>
>>             http://nk7z.net/sdr-rfi-survey-p1/
>>             <http://nk7z.net/sdr-rfi-survey-p1/>
>>
>>             for a tool to characterize your RFI.
>>
>>             73s and thanks,
>>             Dave
>>             NK7Z
>>             http://www.nk7z.net
>>
>>             On 01/16/2018 11:39 AM, W0MU Mike Fatchett wrote:
>>
>>                 What are people using for noise sniffing? I saw the MFJ
>>                 dish but I try to avoid their stuff.
>>
>>                 I know there is no one perfect tool.
>>
>>                 W0MU
>>
>>                 _______________________________________________
>>                 RFI mailing list
>>                 RFI at contesting.com <mailto:RFI at contesting.com>
>>                 http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi
>> <http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi>
>>
>>             _______________________________________________
>>             RFI mailing list
>>             RFI at contesting.com <mailto:RFI at contesting.com>
>>             http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi
>> <http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi>
>>
>>
>>         _______________________________________________
>>         RFI mailing list
>>         RFI at contesting.com <mailto:RFI at contesting.com>
>>         http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi
>>         <http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi>
>>
>>     _______________________________________________
>>     RFI mailing list
>>     RFI at contesting.com <mailto:RFI at contesting.com>
>>     http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi
>>     <http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi>
>>
>>
> _______________________________________________
> RFI mailing list
> RFI at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi