[RFI] Working with Utilities

[Hare, Ed, W1RFI]

Ultrasonic detectors are tricky. They can confirm a noise source, but they are prone to false positives from corona discharge, which generally does not cause interference.  They can also give false negatives.  If a spark or arc is occurring on the top of an insulator, or is otherwise blocked from ground view, an ultrasonic detector at ground level may not hear it at all.

Within their constraints, though, they can be useful. If a source is located to a pole, the ultrasonic dish can pinpoint the source pretty accurately, if it hears it. An ultrasonic sniffer can be used to pinpoint sources as well, and in general if a utility worker can't hear the noise from a suspect component with a sniffer, it is usually the wrong component, and possibly even the wrong pole.

The IEEE EMC Society has formed a working group that is developing an IEEE Recommended Practice that explains all of the issues, techniques and offers procedures electric utilities can use to respond to interference complaints. It is in the final drafting stages and should go to ballot within a few months. I am hoping that this will go a long way to helping utilities understand their responsibilities and to know better how to fix it.

Ed, W1RFI


________________________________
From: Stephanie WX3K <wx3k at ptd.net>
Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2021 8:08 PM
To: Hare, Ed, W1RFI <w1rfi at arrl.org>
Cc: Rfi List <rfi at contesting.com>; jim at audiosystemsgroup.com <jim at audiosystemsgroup.com>
Subject: Re: [RFI] Working with Utilities

“They are not responsible for noise from non-utility equipment and a few false complaints can quickly put amateurs to the bottom of their priority list, often not scheduled until Nevuary.

Ed, W1RFI“

Yep i understand that Ed. My reported RFI is certainly related to humidity/temperature. It has really Again if the utility is only using their ultrasonic detector, they really will not know if a line is severely oscillating at 50 Mhz. If they find nothing with their detector they may brush it off as a false complaint, right ? Again i have no issues with the PPL lines because they replaced all the old Bell type insulators. I have not had that RFI powerline signature since on any of their lines in the neighborhood.

My impression is MetEd needs some further understanding of RFI related to these old Bell type insulators. They seem obstinate about replacing them.

Stephanie WX3K


> On Sep 11, 2021, at 5:04 PM, Hare, Ed, W1RFI <w1rfi at arrl.org> wrote:
>
> source before complaing to the utility. They are not responsible for noise from non-utility equipment and a few false complaints can quickly put amateurs to the bottom of their priority list, often not scheduled until Nevuary.
>
> Ed, W1RFI