TopBand: electric fence noise

[Larry Menzel]

Craig,

YOu'll have to give us a little more here.  Is the interference a quick 
millisecond snap, or a long pulse...quarter second or more...type noise.

In either case you could be dealing with a fencer...maybe not. 

I live in the country and have horses and thousands of feet of electrically
charged fences.  I have no noise from it whatsoever, UNLESS it's grounding
somewhere.  In my experience, that is the ONLY time there is ever any 
interference.  Taking a small broadcast radio, or if you have a mobile rig,
you can usually track down the source rather quickly.  You may have to do
some walking, but fences don't foul themselves.  The offending spot is 
most likely in close proximity to the animals.  If conditions are muddy,
look for a chunk of wet mud that is conducting the current to a STEEL fence
post.  Something is taking the signal to ground, and a wooden post won't 
short the fence.

Now, remember also what time of year it is.  I have over the years had
problems
at Christmas, when many people put up lights.  Many of these lights BLINK
on and
off, and this can be a REAL problem.  Last year I found a farm with
thousands of
lights strung up.  One string was blinking, rather oddly as I viewed it,
and we
checked it.  It was shorting.  As soon as it was repaired the noise was
gone...and
the place was 3 MILES from my tower.

Most fencers today are short pulse, high current jobs...as much as 10
joules per
pulse.  They're nothing to mess with without proper care.  Make sure you have
permission to look on someone's property, and be sure to turn the damn thing 
off before fixing the grounded spot.  I have inadvertently bumped my fence
with 
my bald head and been knocked unconsious.  Be careful.

Post me privately if I can be of more help. 

Larry Menzel, N0XB
Northfield, MN





At 11:57 AM 12/7/98 -0500, Craig Clark wrote:
>
>Looking for info on electric fence noise. It's tearing me up on 160!
>
>Know it's pbly a ground leak. Seems to me we've covered it here but I don't
>remember when.
>
>Anyone point me where to go looking for help in resolving this pblm?
>
>Thanks  
>
>Craig
>
>BTW condx in 160 contest were quite poor. How'd the west coast do. I didn't
>hear a peep out of anyone other than KH7R!
>
>
>
>73 Craig Clark W1JCC 
>
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