Topband: MYSTERY NOISE GONE!

[W2pm at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/26/2007 7:13:29 AM Eastern Standard Time, magoo at isp.ca  
writes:

Wonder  if some of those noises others have been describing from time to time
are  caused by either MV or sodium lights starting to go bad.

Bill,  VE3CSK



Here in my NOISY suburban QTH MOST of the local noise trouble is lighting.  
If not the sensor contacts on street lights then residential auto-on  lighting. 
 
 I have also found a major issue comes from low voltage lawn lighting  - the 
bulbs (and this applies to indoor under cabinet type LV lamps too).   These 
bulbs run very hot and have a propensity for the element to open  
intermittently.  That forms a little spark gap which is always good for  challenging topband 
local noise. It is very difficult to determine which bulb is  the offender 
because the lamp works under those conditions but it a bit dimmer  than the 
others IF you look very carefully.  If you tap gently on the small  glass envelope 
it will often cure the noise completely because the intermittent  filament 
welds itself back to a more constant state OR it will open completely  and the 
light will go out.  But LV systems in general have gotten much  worse 
regardless of bulb issues because many employ "matchbook" transformers -  tiny 
switching power supplies which mount in the fixture itself.  Here I  rewired the whole 
kitchen (directly over the shack) into a 20A Astron clean DC  supply because 
the LV AC lighting systems killed me on 160.
 
Pete W2PM