[RFI] Smoke Detectors Beeping

[Dave Cole (NK7Z)]

Stan,

Add a decent. (as high an impedance as you can build), choke at the 
feedpoint of the antenna right after any impedance matching device, then 
add another at the point where the coax enters your home.

If you are still having issues, see if your alarm systems are tied 
together to a central unit, you might want to look at that as well.

Take a look at Jim's, (K9YC), papers on suppression using chokes.  See:

http://k9yc.com/publish.htm

under "Hum, buzz, and RF Interference"...

73s and thanks,
Dave (NK7Z/NNR0DC)
https://www.nk7z.net
ARRL Technical Specialist

On 07/27/2018 10:49 AM, Stan Zawrotny wrote:
> I have been troubled for quite some time with our smoke detectors
> frequently beeping (two beeps) when I am working HF. It is worst on 80 and
> 40, but also occurs frequently when I am on 15 and 20 meters.  The beeping
> will be intermittent at intervals of 1-3 minutes and will last for a couple
> of minutes after I am through transmitting.
> 
> I has happened with several rigs. Yaesu FTdx5000, Flex-6600M and Icom
> IC-7300, at power ranging normally from 50-100 watts.
> 
> Of course, the antenna system is likely the culprit. It consists of several
> OCF dipoles: one 160-10 M and two 80-10 M. (I know OCF dipoles are bad for
> RFI). All have 1:1 baluns at the antenna and at the shack.
> 
> I have tried clip-on ferrite beads on the power leads of the smoke
> detectors without luck.
> 
> I just bought a DX Engineering Feedline Current Choke (DXE-FCC050H05-B)
> that is supposed to suppress RFI on antenna leads. That is ineffective.
> 
> I am now considering replacing the entire smoke detector system. We share a
> house with my daughter and there are 9 units tied together in the system,
> so the cost will not be small.
> 
> Are there other solutions?
> 
> Are there brands of smoke detectors that are less susceptible to RFI than
> others.
> 
> Any other thoughts?
> 
> Stan
> ___________________
> Stan Zawrotny, K4SBZ
> K4SBZ.Stan at Gmail.com
> 
> Real radio bounces off the sky.
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