[SCCC] CQP N6VHF SO Fixed LP

Wed Oct 15 15:29:26 EDT 2014

Neil,

You are up against today's ever increasing noise sources as technology
brings us more and more noise generating electronic devices the average
consumer just has to have besides poorly maintained power lines !

Other than moving, which is most likely not an option, or spending a lot of
money on another high performance radio with great noise reduction
capabilities,  try the units I mentioned in my prevous email ( JPS OR
Timewave ANC-4,  MFJ 1025 or 1026 units),

You may not get rid of all the noise but reducing it by half will yield
more QSOs. If you can find a ham friend who owns a K3 or someone in SCCC
that would be kind enough to bring over a K3 for a few hours during peak
noise times or loan you a K3 for a few days,  you could then try some of
the great noise reduction capabilities of the K3 and if that helps, save up
to acquire a K3 or any other rig that has a DSP type Noise Blanker ( Not
the classical I.F. type NB) that wont add "Buckshot" type distortion when
the bands are full of very strong adjacent signals.

Maybe some of the other SCCC members can tell us which of the other top
performing rigs or external noise reduction units are available today
that have very effective noise (QRN) capabilities
and hopefully will allow you to try them so you dont have to take out a
second mortgage to acquire the rig or accessary you need.

BTW, if possible and assuming you are in a single detached home,  be sure
you eliminate all noise sources within your own QTH by possibly shutting
down all AC power coming into your QTH and running your receiver off a car
battery if at all possible. You could possibly shut off 1 circuit breaker
feed at a time if killing all power is not an option.

Let me know if you make any progress with the suggestions above.

I understand that some FLEX 6XXX series radios have or may have (future
vaporware updates ;-) )
very effective noise reduction capabilities, but this FLEX series is very
costly and, IMHO,  you have to be VERY computer literate to maintain and
operate this SDR.
Unfortunately, IMHO, the current ergonomics of the FLEX would slow down
most serious contesters but would probably not bother most casual operators
who don't need to have their hands mostly on their keyboards and off of a
computer mouse during contest frenzy !

73 Dennis N6KI

On Wednesday, October 15, 2014, Neil Jessen <neiljessen at hotmail.com> wrote:

> Dennis:
>
> I think that is the problem.  I have noise coming from everywhere.  It's
> mostly the power lines, but there is video leakage, my neighbors are
> running things that cause noise, etc.  I have been dealing with it all my
> life.  It's usually do-able without the Santa Ana conditions.  With no
> Santa Ana, I am usually like an S-4 to S-5 noise.  But when things are
> really dry and/or windy, we are looking at S-9 plus.
>
> Neil
>
> ------------------------------
> Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2014 00:39:56 -0700
> Subject: Re: [SCCC] CQP N6VHF SO Fixed LP
> From: n6ki73 at gmail.com <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','n6ki73 at gmail.com');>
> To: neiljessen at hotmail.com
> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','neiljessen at hotmail.com');>
>
> try a JPS or Timewave ANC-4 Phase unit - they are around used -
>
> They work good if you put up a reference vertical toward the noise source
> and if
> most of your QRN is from a SINGLE source
>
> Let me know if you score one as they are tricked to use and doing it by
> the manual sometimes doesn't work well.
>
> 73, Dennis N6KI
>
> On Sat, Oct 11, 2014 at 8:22 AM, Neil Jessen <neiljessen at hotmail.com
> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','neiljessen at hotmail.com');>> wrote:
>
>  Dennis:
>
>  I was using my Yaesu FT-847.  Tried the normal noise blanker as well as
> the digital noise blanker and the other digital filters available.  With
> the 12kv power lines in Anaheim, this is nothing new.  If there was a
> product out there that can remove the power line noise I have been
> suffering with for the past 27 years, I would be elated!
>
>  73,
> Neil - N6VHF
>
>
>  Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Smartphone
>
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Dennis Vernacchia
> Date:10/10/2014 1:28 PM (GMT-08:00)
> To: neiljessen
> Cc: SCCC Reflector
> Subject: Re: [SCCC] CQP N6VHF SO Fixed LP
>
>  Neil,
>
>     What type radio did you use for contest ?
>
>  What noise reduction features of your radio or external unit,  did you
> try to use
> to diminish the line noise most likely caused by the hot dry air of the
> Santa Ana condition??
>
>  Not having or using the the right type of noise reduction can really
> hurt in a noisey Santa Ana line noise situation !
>
>  Since certain types of line noise is better reduced with a Noise Blanker
> (NB) rather than DSP Noise
> Reduction (NR) circuit, and since one seldom can turn on the NB in a
> contest as all they will hear is " Buckshot" type signal distortion caused
> by the I.F. circuit being muted at a rapid rate or overloaded, your best
> noise reduction of line noise would be a DSP type NB which some of the
> latest rigs, like the Elecraft K3 employs. ( None of the 32 different NR
> selections of the K3 helped much for the specific line noise we encountered
>  !)
>
>  Also, sometimes an external AUDIO type noise reduction unit can be added
> to an older radio like a TimeWave or older but very effective ORIGINAL W9GR
> unit that can be found on used market
>
>  At NX6T San Diego Contest Club CQP effort from Fallbrook this past
> weekend,  we also suffered thru S9+ line noise especially on Sunday and the
> K3s DSP NB was extremely helpful in diminishing the QRN
>
>  Maybe other SCCC contesters can coment how they deal with strong QRN
> when turning on the typical I.F. NB circuit in a contest is NOT an option
> with many very strong signals on the band
>
>  73 Dennis N6KI
>
> On Friday, October 10, 2014, neiljessen <neiljessen at hotmail.com
> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','neiljessen at hotmail.com');>> wrote:
>
>   California QSO Party
>
> Call: N6VHF
> Operator(s): N6VHF
> Station: N6VHF
>
> Class: SO Fixed LP
> QTH: Anaheim
> Operating Time (hrs): 5:12
>
> Summary:
>  Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs
> --------------------
>   160:   0       0
>    80:   0       0
>    40:   0      41
>    20:   0      28
>    15:   0      38
>    10:   0      12
>     6:   0       0
>     2:   0       0
> --------------------
> Total:   0     119  Mults = 27  Total Score = 6,426
>
> Club: Southern California Contest Club
>
> Comments:
>
> Murphys Law arrived in the form of a Santa Ana condition causing S-9 +
> noise on
> all bands.  I tried to get a run going but all I could hear were the super
> strong stations.  Spent some time hunting and pouncing the people I could
> hear
> but eventually gave up in defeat.  Anaheim Power 1, CQP 0. Next year I
> think I
> am going mobile!
>
> _______________________________________________
> SCCC mailing list
> SCCC at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/sccc
>
>
>
> --
> Sent from My Stinkin I Phone !
>
>
>

-- 
Sent from My Stinkin I Phone !