Topband: Power Pole Noise DFing

[Tom Cathey]

Lots of good ideas, especially political info - tnx!

Here's another real-life story:

It appears to help immensely when one can
report a SPECIFIC pole/location  that is generating the noise.

I have a local friend who hooks a handheld radio shack AM aircraft scanner
to a VHF Yagi and was able to pinpoint the actual offending pole and
insulators in many cases.  He says he's cleaned out his neighborhood and now
hears stuff coming from miles away in the next town.

An initial  call to the power company "repair emergency" line with
information that there is arcing gets their attention.

My friend says that over time, once the supervisor and crews realize that he
is usually correct, they gave him preferential treatment and act friendlier,
as they know  a phone call from him means a  legit specific  problem and
saving them time in the long run. He lives in Mass.

Your mileage may vary based on area of the country, budgets and anal
tendencies.

BTW, I read in the paper that the local Power Company here in CT is taking
heat from the FCC for it's poor response policy in the past.   So, things
ARE getting better for us weak signal guys.

Tom, K1JJ
CT