[RFI] FCC Complaint Filing

[Dave Cole]

Brad,

It seems like your neighbor was being helpful at one point...  If this 
is the case, protect that relationship at all costs...  It is useful, 
and will get your RFI solved a LOT FASTER, which is the goal...

 From your description, it sounds like some sort of outside light was 
installed, and is without a doubt causing your RFI, be sure to keep 
notes on all of this in the event the relationship turns sour, and you 
do need the FCC.

Sidestep all the photos, graphs, and charts, and just offer to replace 
the light at your cost.

I know that by rights you could force the issue with them, and make them 
pay for replacement, but why?  The goal is to get your RFI gone...  I 
have done this with several neighbors, it works, the RFI goes away, and 
in most cases, the cost has been less than 50 bucks, and the time is 
around a week to solve...

Again, you are in the driver seat here, but why make it hard by 
involving the FCC, solving it that way will take months and months. 
Replacing the light will take a weekend...

73, and thanks,
Dave (NK7Z)
https://www.nk7z.net
ARRL Volunteer Examiner
ARRL Technical Specialist
ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources

On 11/21/19 8:52 PM, N8GLS wrote:
> Thanks Mike,
> 
>   
> 
> The RFI started occurring on the Sunday I returned from Hamvention.  Just installed the new IC-9700 and the band scope was showing pulsating band wide noise.  Also the s-meter on the 2m FM rig was fluctuating up to almost full scale even though no signal was present.  Going outside I noticed the newly installed deck lights, called my neighbor, and sure enough he just finished Saturday installing them.  I asked him to turn them off for a minute and the noise disappeared, turning them back on brought it back.  I was able to get a spare light he had, took it in the shack and regardless of being powered off pure DC or low voltage AC it was emitting RFI like I never saw before.  See my QRZ page for links to the videos (intentionally non-technical) for my neighbor, the Mfg and for the ARRL.
> 
>   
> 
> 73 de Brad, N8GLS
> 
> Mentor, OH
> 
>   
> 
> From: Michael Martin <mike at rfiservices.com>
> Sent: Thursday, November 21, 2019 8:32 PM
> To: n8gls at arrl.net
> Cc: rfi at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [RFI] FCC Complaint Filing
> Importance: High
> 
>   
> 
> Hey Brad I'm sorry to hear about your issue too bad it's not uncommon!
> 
> I don't remember seeing or hearing about how you determined that there's lights were the issue!
> 
> I'm not second-guessing you I'm just curious as to the method you used to determine they were the cause of the problem.
> 
> I'd also be interested in knowing where this is, the state & town.
> 
> Best wishes to you
> 
> Get BlueMail for Android <http://www.bluemail.me/r?b=15726>
> 
> On Nov 21, 2019, at 7:12 PM, N8GLS <n8gls at arrl.net <mailto:n8gls at arrl.net> > wrote:
> 
> I filed an "informal" complaint with the FCC a month ago regarding RFI
> emanating from a neighbor's installation of LED Deck Lights done back in May
> 2019.  I did receive one response that a ticket number was assigned and have
> been regularly checking the status but no further "action" yet.  I realize
> this may be a fairly long process and may not go anywhere but was curious if
> anybody here has ever filed a complaint and if so how long it took before
> some indication of status was received ??
> 
>   
> 
> A little history:  The interference affects almost the entire 2m band.  This
> neighbor was initially cooperative and once I found a solution (a simple
> combination of Chokes) I bought and gave him all the chokes needed for the
> entire deck as well as offering to install them myself or at least help.  A
> reply of "no help needed, I can install myself no problem" gave me an
> indication of sincerity ..that was back in July.  These lights have turned
> on at dusk and off at about 1am every single day since May.  I politely
> called him again the beginning of Oct reminding him the interference was
> still emanating from the lights and I would still install if he didn't have
> the time.  That call ended with an agitated response of  "its not my
> problem" and "I don't believe by merely buying these lights in any way makes
> me responsible for anything", followed by "If they were so bad they wouldn't
> be sold".  It was clear there was no intention of installing anything at any
> time and further conversation about the situation would be fruitless.  Left
> with no other solution I filed the informal complaint and included a summary
> of the issue, timeline of events and links to a couple videos showing the
> interference being received as well as one solution to remedy it.
> 
>   
> 
> Frustrating to say the least, and sadly, words like "cooperation",
> "politeness", "neighborly" and "respect" don't seem to mean much these days.
> 
>   
> 
> 73 de Brad, N8GLS
> 
>   
> 
> 
>    _____
> 
> 
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