[RFI] Safety suggestion to consider when trying to locate new it is generated by parent company hardware

[jimk8mr at aol.com]

I use a multi-stage approach:
1. Peak the noise, if possible, with the VHF yagis at my station.
2. Hop on my bicycle with my HT in AM receive mode, switchable between 2 meters and 432. I find that most power line noise is audible within 4 or 5 poles on 2 meters, 1 or 2 poles on 432. Note that there is some noise from tire static, but the powerline noise has different characteristics. The bike both gets me some exercise, and is easy to stop along side the road for further checks.

3. Bring out the 432 yagi, a 5L WA5VJB cheap beam, to connect to the HT to sweep the suspected poles. (I can carry the yagi on the back of the bike, or across the handlebars.)
4. Hop in the car, with the W1TRC ultrasonic detector. I don't expect the utility to send out crews with orders based on my report, but the ultrasonic does provide a reality check independent of RF re-radiation, etc.
One of my best VHF DX QSOs resulted from this effort. During a lull in a VHF contest I took out the bike to look for some noise. While listening on 432.100 AM I heard a distorted SSB signal, but identifiable as a VE3 rover calling CQ. Rushed home (not far away) and caught the guy (75 miles or so across Lake Erie) on 432 and then moved to 1296 for my second DXCC country on that band  :-)


Of course all this may not work so well if the noise shows up only when it snows   :-)

73  -  Jim   K8MR

 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Charles Plunk <af4o at twc.com>
To: rfi <rfi at contesting.com>
Sent: Wed, Dec 4, 2019 8:44 pm
Subject: Re: [RFI] Safety suggestion to consider when trying to locate new it is generated by parent company hardware

Years ago, I built the ultrasonic from the QST article 
(http://www.farcircuits.net/w1rtc_notes1.pdf). Works good unless the 
source is masked by the hardware. I have found it is very pinpoint in 
nature. You have to find the pole by df'ing then use the ultrasonic to 
scan the pole for individual hardware. I df with either an FT60 or FT817 
on AM and various hombrew yagi's. Of course AM broadcast in the SUV for 
very broad location. My current source pulsed at first, very 
distinctive, and I could pick it up almost a mile radius on car AM 
radio! One source, years ago, I could hear it with the ultrasonic and 
took a photo of the individual hardware & pole number. Then emailed it 
to my contact at the utility. That was neat.

My current source, I have been unable to hear it with the ultrasonic. 
Since the pole I suspect by df is scheduled for replacement anyway, have 
hung up my tools until then.

Chuck
AF4O


On 12/4/19 7:22 PM, David Eckhardt wrote:
> OK.  I confess I've never had a wire fall on me.  But there are better
> tools.  MFJ (I hate to admit) sells an ultrasonic microphone much like
> those used by professional power providers.  It is far better at locating
> problems than the walking battery-powered radio.  Arcs and coronal
> discharges produce copious amounts of acoustical energy above our hearing
> frequency limits as well as RF energy.  It's a wonderful tool.
>
> Dave - WØLEV