[RSM] In the dark

[Ed]

Hi Marion.

I would like to make some smart Alecky answers but living with a patient wife like I do, I know thjere has to be a solution.

About the only thing that can make noise that you can hear in a fluorescent light is something called a ballast.  It is basically the power supply that converts the house voltage to  a voltage used by the lights. When Cary is not on the radio, do you hear a slight hum when you turn on the kitchen lights?

What is likely happening is the energy emitted from Cary's antenna is getting into the ballast, (or miore likely all the AC wiring) and causing this ballast to start and stop in time with Cary's signal.

So my suggestions for resolution.

1. Replace the ballast on the light. Do not replace it with a commercial grade product. Use one specifically designed for residential use. A homeowner can do this.

2. A little more difficult would be to choke off the radio frequency (RF) energy before it gets into the light. The simple way is to wrap the ac wiring entering the ballast around a ferrite core. 6 or 7 times. That woulkd require access to the wiring likely in the attic. That gets rid of common mode signals. If that isn’t sufficient then purchasing (or building) a differential mode filter and installing it at the light fixture should help.

3. As suggested, changing the entire light fixture away from fluorescence may eliminate the problem if you can still get enough illumination. Unfortunately that may be difficult without a complete kitchen remodel. But hey you are worth that!

4. There are "whole house" protection circuits that install on your breaker panel. These help keep noise and transients off your AC voltage entering the home. These are a good idea but likely won't help this issue.

5. Tackling the issue right at the source, the radio and amplifier Cary is using is obviously the root cause. To address these, Cary should donate his amplifier to Harm as they both have the same matching radio. Alternatively replace Cary's defective radio with a KX3  or a Heathkit HW100, Cary could select his preference. These are sever measures and I would try steps 1-4 first.

Ed

-----Original Message-----
From: RSM [mailto:rsm-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Marion Yarema
Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2018 9:14 AM
To: rsm at contesting.com
Subject: [RSM] In the dark

I keep asking VE4EA ( aka Cary) to find us a solution, but it hasn’t happened yet ...so I am appealing to you folks for an answer. Every time there is a radio contest ( or he even operates),  the kitchen light
(fluorescent) makes radio noise, so I have to be a supportive wife and sit in the dark if I want to be in my kitchen! This does not make me happy! I am very willing to replace the light with something compatible and not noise making for radio operating..but need some guidance. What do we buy?
There must be an answer!  Anyone who has been in our kitchen knows how bright it is...and I want (need) as much light as I get now. I anxiously anticipate your suggestions!

Marion
_______________________________________________
RSM mailing list
RSM at contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rsm