[RFI] 2 MW Solar Farm

[Gary K9GS]

I would try to take some measurements before the site becomes operational. That will establish a baseline for comparison one it is completely up and running. 73,Gary K9GS
-------- Original message --------From: Jpock <jhpock at gmail.com> Date: 9/22/20  9:21 AM  (GMT-06:00) To: "Hare, Ed W1RFI" <w1rfi at arrl.org>, rfi at contesting.com Subject: Re: [RFI] 2 MW Solar Farm Ed,I have a  RSPduo SDRplay and Kenwood TH-D74 handheld radio setups.  Someone is putting in a large solar farm just north of me in Sturgis Mich., about 10 miles.  It is not in service as of yet, but it will soon be operational.  If you wish, I can take some measurements once it is operational.Is there anything extra or special you want me to do, just let me know.Respectfully,Jim N9PXO------ Original Message ------From: "Hare, Ed W1RFI" <w1rfi at arrl.org>To: "rfi at contesting.com" <rfi at contesting.com>; "Jpock" <jhpock at gmail.com>Sent: 9/22/2020 09:46:07Subject: Re: [RFI] 2 MW Solar Farm>If any of you all have an HF mobile set up and can go to one of these >farms, please do and provide a report.>>Date/Time:>Location (GPS coordinates and/or street address. Describe location if >necessary).>How far was the measurement location from any part of the solar system?>Sun conditions:>Band:>Receiver:>Antenna:>Antenna height:>Mode (AM preferred, SSB useful):>Bandwidth (6 kHz preferred, 3 kHz useful):>Preamp off, if possible:>Noise level:>Is the noise relatively constant across a large part of the band, or >does it get louder and weaker at regular intervals as the receiver is >tuned.>>If the receiver is an SDR, a waterfall or spectral sweep can be useful. >If possible, remport the received signal level in absolute units, ie >dBm, dBuV, uV, etc.>>If anyone has a spectrum analyzer and, even better, a calibrated loop, >sweeps of each band made in RMS and quasi-peak (if available), 9 kHz >bandwidth, with a known reference level at the top of the analyzer >screen, so much the better.>>If you can make the same measurements on 6 meters, so much the better, >because if we have an absolute receive level, a known-gain antenna and >known receiver conditions, we can estimate whether the system exceeeds >the FCC emissions limits above 30 MHz.>>If you make these reports here, I will pick up on them and see what we >can determine about the interference potential based on actual reports.>>Ed Hare, W1RFI>>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------->From: RFI <rfi-bounces+w1rfi=arrl.org at contesting.com> on behalf of >Jpock <jhpock at gmail.com>>Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2020 8:48 AM>To:rfi at contesting.com <rfi at contesting.com>>Subject: [RFI] 2 MW Solar Farm>>To rfi at contesting.com>>Kim, I am in the same type of situation about Commercial Solar Farms in>LaGrange Indiana.  The county commissioners passed a ordinance allowing>agricultural property to be transformed into solar farms.  This type of>change can cause alot of problems for amateur radio operators.>>Any type of information that can be shared will be useful!  Thank-you>Scott K9MA for sharing.>>Respectfully,>Jim N9PXO>>------ Original Message ------>From: "K9MA" <k9ma at sdellington.us>>To: rfi at contesting.com>Sent: 9/21/2020 23:42:36>Subject: Re: [RFI] 2 MW Solar Farm>> >Hopefully not as bad as the 2.3 MS Siemens wind turbines in New >Zealand. ZL6QH had to abandon a huge antenna farm because of RFI. Their >noise floor went up 50 dB on 80, and only a few of the planned turbines >were in operation. While not quite the same, solar and wind power >systems both use high frequency switching converters capable of >generating lots of RFI.> >> >http://www.zl6qh.com/rf-noise-measurements-quartz-hill-2009-v3.pdf> >> >73,> >Scott K9MA> >> >> >> >On 9/21/2020 11:56 AM, Kim Elmore wrote:> >>I just learned that a 2 MW solar farm is being built about 3/4 mi >from my QTH. I don’t know who is behind it, though I ssume it’s a >utility company of some sort as 2 MW sounds moderately large. Does >anyone have any experience with these? How much of an RFI source are >they?> >>> >>Kim N5OP> >>> >>"People that make music together cannot be enemies, at least as long >as the music lasts." -- Paul Hindemith> >>_______________________________________________> >>RFI mailing list> >>RFI at contesting.com> >>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi> >> >> >-- Scott  K9MA> >> >k9ma at sdellington.us> >> >_______________________________________________> >RFI mailing list> >RFI at contesting.com> >http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi>>_______________________________________________>RFI mailing list>RFI at contesting.com>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi_______________________________________________RFI mailing listRFI at contesting.comhttp://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi