Topband: ve3cui et al de ve9aa, re: QRN from touch-lamps

[Mike & Coreen Smith]

  BIG SNIP>>>
  Thus far, the only solution that I've found---inelegant, maybe, but 
effective!---is for me to physically UNPLUG the lights from the AC mains...
  Has anyone else ever had run-ins of this kind, and if so, what---if 
anything---is the cure...?
  ~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ
  ---------------------------------------------
  VE9AA says:
Eddy & group,

I had this problem with 4 touch lamps probably 15?-16 years ago.  The noise 
was unbearable on 15m, but evident all across the HF spectrum.  Not sure 
about 160m, as I wasn't QRV on 'TOP' back then.

This isn't going to be much help, as I don't have specifics.  I am pretty 
sure I found the fix-it circuit in QST...one of those tiny postage stamp 
sized 1-paragraph articles that someone sticks on the side of the column 
when they are filling space.  I want to say the year was 1995 maybe ....I 
think what it consisted of was adding a small resistor (value unknown) and a 
home made choke in series with the body of the lamp you touch....like I 
said, not much help, but it did work...someone must have the actual details. 
I wound my choke on a tiny paintbrush handle with the small wire you find on 
an AM RADIO ferrite.  I did all 4 touch-lamps here... Hey, it was a long 
time ago....hi hi...I barely recall what I had for breakfast this 
morning....Anyways as time went on, some of the touch ccts began to fail 
(and added noise to the quiet HF background as a result), so I just ripped 
them all out and added a 120VAC 2A push button in place of all the ccts. 
Problem solved.!

BTW, I also interferred with the lamps.  Wife was never happy being woken up 
to pulsating lights in the rhythym of "VE9AA" in CW in  the bedroom @ 2am 
when I was calling some rare DX on 40m or 80m CW....

Not much to go on, I know I know....but at least it gives you hope a cure is 
out there.

Mike ve9aa

Mike, Coreen & Corey Smith
699 Rte 616 Keswick Ridge
NB
Canada
E6L 1T1