[SEDXC] SMART POWER METERS

[THOMAS M GREENWAY]

I had heard of some instances of interference from the new smart wireless power 
meters being installed by the power companies but didn't know any particulars.  
After reading the excerpt from below I checked and I do in fact have the same 
problem on 160 M  I have a noise at 1811 and another at 1878, exactly 57 Khz 
apart as described in the excerpt.  Mine appears to be from a neighbors meter.  
If you work 160 M you might check this out if you have the new type power meter 
that wirelessly sends your consumption on to the power company.  I have not 
checked out the other bands.

That is interesting that W2GPS is receiving the same type of
>  RFI.  You may 
>  have already done this but I would use a loop or some type of
>  directional receiving antenna to determine the bearing where
>  it is the strongest at your station and also at his station.  
>  Then plot the bearings on a map and where the line
>  intersects you may be in the proximity of the source and you
>  can narrow down from there. My most recent noise that I
>  finally tracked down here turned out to be a new "smart meter"
>  our electrical utility company  installed.  They wouldn't
>  believe me, and when I had the technician out (finally) I
>  showed him that on AM broadcast, when you got close to the
>  meter it roared.  Then, 3 months later, (nothing happens
>  quickly on this stuff, hi,hi) they replaced the meter and no
>  more noise.  Now I have a new and different noise to track.
>    It never ends. 
>  Bob
>  K6UJ
>  On Jan 18, 2011, at 6:31 PM, <donovanf at starpower.net> wrote:
>
>    I'm not the only ham with this 160 meter RFI.  W2GPS and I
>    were discussing this today, and Rick recalled that he's seen
>    nearly identical RFI on 160 meters at his QTH 30 miles from
>    here for several years.  Like my case, its active 24 hours
>    per day.
>
>    Rick created a spectrum plot of the RFI at his QTH, its at
>    57.5 kHz intervals from 1600 kHz to 2000 kHz.  Just like my
>    case, the strongest RFI is in the 160 meter band.
>
>    I can email a spectrum plot and .wav file of the audio
>    output of an AM receiver to anyone who is interested.
>
>    Does anyone else hear this RFI on 160 meters?
>
>    It just seem too coincidental that two hams 30 miles apart
>    are hearing nearly identical 160 meter RFI, but nobody else.
>
>    tks
>
>    73
>    Frank
>    W3LPL