[RFI] Noise centered around 20 meters

Sat May 23 22:31:24 EDT 2020

I was very lucky a couple weeks ago when I was trying to track down some 
line noise. At one point, all indications were it was coming from a 
particular house. A walked all over the place with a VHF yagi tracker, 
even to the back side of that house, and it kept pointing to that house. 
So, I knocked on the door, and asked the woman whether she had any new 
or erratic devices, etc., keeping a safe distance from the door. (I had 
never met her before.) She gave me her phone number, and I later called 
her back. She was very cooperative, and even agreed to shut off her main 
breaker. Alas, it had no effect on the noise, so I apologized for the 
trouble. Obviously, that could have gone very differently with a hostile 
neighbor. Her dog didn't even bark at me.

The next time I went back there, the tracker pointed to a power pole 
across the street from her house, and has ever since. All I can figure 
is that there might have been multiple sources which added up in such a 
way as to make it look like it was coming from that house.

So now I'm back to doing battle with the power company.

73,
Scott K9MA

On 5/23/2020 18:37, Hare, Ed W1RFI wrote:
>> Anyone have any suggestions for approaching a neighbor you have not met
>> (if it's in a house) in this era of social distancing?
> Even without social distancing, that can be a challenge at best.  The neighbor probably bought some device or another that is making noise. Let's assume he bought a whole basement worth of commercial fluorescent lights at a big-box hardware store.  You now have to convince him that this device is being operated in violation of some federal law he never heard of and certainly can't understand.  (If he has to filter his device, why can't you just filter your radio.)
>
> Honestly, that is not a conversation that some hams want to have with a neighbor, and some hams just walk away.  Others have asked ARRL to write them a letter, and we are willing to do that, in consultation with the ham, of course.  If you do get to have that conversation, you may need to stand by what is right, but in a way that recognizes that the neighbor does not have your understanding of the issues involved.
>
> Some hams have had success approaching a neighbor about an "interesting" problem and persuading the neighbor that local solutions to local problems are best.  Other hams have had miserable failures demanding their rights as licensed amateur operators and threatening the neighbor with the FCC. If any good neighbors who are friends know this guy, that may help.  Keep in mind this could be something like a grow light for, um.... indoor gardening, so some neighbors can be nervous and some even dangerous. If you can get past that,  some hams have reminded neighbors that no one wants to get the FCC involved because the process is cumbersome and we do not know what interagency agreements the FCC may have with other federal agencies.
>
> First, read this link. It offers some guidance on "personal diplomacy" to help that conversation go smoothly.
>
> http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/RFI%20Main%20Page/InterferencePrimer.pdf
>
> Then, go to ARRL's web page, Technology section and read the power-line material.  This is not a power-line problem but that page described the cooperative agreement between ARRL staff and FCC staff to resolve interference problems of all sorts.
>
> Ed, W1RFI
> ARRL Lab
>
> Interference Primer - Parts 1 and 2 Derived from QST Lab Notes<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/RFI%20Main%20Page/InterferencePrimer.pdf>
> Interference Primer - Parts 1 and 2 Derived from QST Lab Notes (February and March 1992) Ed Hare, W1RFI, Laboratory Supervisor, now grapples with one of the most difficult problems in Amateur Radio: electromagnetic interference, or EMI. EMI is a catch-all . term for TVI, RFI, BCI and any other form of electromagnetically generated interference.
> www.arrl.org
>
>
>
>
> From: RFI <rfi-bounces+w1rfi=arrl.org at contesting.com> on behalf of Thomas Mills <tsmills at bellsouth.net>
> Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2020 6:21 PM
> To: Gary <gary_mayfield at hotmail.com>
> Cc: rfi at contesting.com <rfi at contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [RFI] Noise centered around 20 meters
>
> Could this be coming from solar panels?
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On May 23, 2020, at 6:18 PM, Gary <gary_mayfield at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> I was able to borrow a portable shortwave radio today, and we clearly determined the noise is from about a block over. I will build a loop for the radio tonight and take another whack at it tomorrow.
>>
>> Anyone have any suggestions for approaching a neighbor you have not met (if it's in a house) in this era of social distancing?
>>
>> Thanks and 73,
>> Gary "Joe" kk0sd
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: WW3S <ww3s at zoominternet.net>
>> Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2020 11:57 AM
>> To: Gary <gary_mayfield at hotmail.com>
>> Cc: rfi at contesting.com
>> Subject: Re: [RFI] Noise centered around 20 meters
>>
>> What type of internet service do you have, DSL? Does your modem have battery backup? I chased my tail with my cable modem, it has battery backup since I also have voip from them as well....switching off breakers makes little difference with battery backup devices....
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
>>
>>> On May 23, 2020, at 12:50 PM, Gary <gary_mayfield at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> I was asked to do a video of the noise with no talking. You can see it here:
>>> https://youtu.be/I_AeXh5IGYg
>>>
>>> The noise sounds the same across the band where I can hear it 11 - 15.6 MHz. It is the strongest around 13.5 MHz. There are no carriers that I can associate with the noise.
>>>
>>> I hope this helps.
>>>
>>> 73, and Thanks Again,
>>> Gary "Joe" kk0sd
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: RFI <rfi-bounces+gary_mayfield=hotmail.com at contesting.com> On Behalf Of Gary
>>> Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2020 8:46 AM
>>> To: rfi at contesting.com
>>> Subject: [RFI] Noise centered around 20 meters
>>>
>>> Hey folks,
>>>
>>>                I don't work a lot of 20 meters, but was thinking I might use it during Field Day for a 1E operation. I have some 'noise' that starts around 11 MHz and gets stronger as I tune up the band. It is about S8-S9 across all of 20 meters and finally plays out around 15.600 MHz. I made a video showing the issue and placed it on Youtube here:
>>> https://youtu.be/HD3sH-YjdyE
>>>
>>>                I have preformed tests turning the breakers off to my home one at a time as well as turning the master breaker off and running the radio from a battery. The noise is unchanged by this. The noise is there 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
>>>
>>>                The antenna is a simple ground mounted vertical in my backyard.
>>>
>>>                Any and all help and suggestions are appreciated.
>>>
>>> Thanks and 73,
>>> Gary "Joe" kk0sd
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-- 
Scott  K9MA

k9ma at sdellington.us