Topband: High noise with Rx antennae

Gary Smith Gary at ka1j.com
Thu Nov 29 14:12:37 EST 2012


The problem is apparently within the K3 & the antenna. 

Used an adapter to run the BNC connected Rx antenna into the main 
antenna and there's a night & day difference. 

Now to contact Elecraft for their thoughts on the matter.

& thanks to Lee from Hi-Z who contacted me to help me figure out 
where the issue is coming from.

Gary
KA1J

> yes it is, although the quietest directions are to the N, NE & NW
> which would make those directions the worst if it were the rail lines.
> 
> I'm finding that the Rx triangle has more noise than the 160 Inv-V and
> that doesn't make sense to me yet. I don't use a pre on the low bands
> & sometimes use an attenuator.
> 
> Gary
> KA1J
> 
> > Is that rail line electrified?
> > 
> > Carl
> > KM1H
> > 
> > 
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Gary Smith" <Gary at ka1j.com>
> > To: <topband at contesting.com>
> > Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2012 11:52 AM
> > Subject: Topband: High noise with Rx antennae
> > 
> > 
> > > I'm hearing a lot of noise with my triangle array. I was hearing
> > > it close to the house so I relocated 100' away albeit 10-15 feet
> > > lower. Unfortunately I can not put it in a clearing and there are
> > > trees around it, I cut down several that were within 10' of the
> > > elements. I am using flooded coax and the snap on terminals. I
> > > replaced all the terminals but this did not change the problem.
> > > 
> > > I am getting directivity and to the south along the road I hear an
> > > increased background noise where home electronics may be a source
> > > of noise. What I hear sounds like electrical noise, nothing
> > > digital sounding but moving the antenna didn't help much. By
> > > necessity, the transmit antenna is 75' away and some of the  130'
> > > radials on the ground run fairly close to the Rx array. I find the
> > > inv-l to be sometimes less noisy but the triangle will often pick
> > > up a signal the vertical does not (albeit with greater background
> > > noise).
> > > 
> > > I'm using a K3 with sub Rx and the AF control is rarely turned
> > > more than 15 degrees. Playing with Rf levels, AGC, noise blanker,
> > > noise reduction seems to help overall and Sometimes I run with no
> > > AGC at times too but it doesn't deal with the high background
> > > noise. I'm wondering if shortening the elements would have a
> > > positive effect on reducing the noise level? 
> > > 
> > > Here is a view of the QTH. My house is the last one, at the end of
> > > the road & next to the rail line. I am sandwiched between two
> > > state parks. Other than Amtrak being beside the house and the
> > > people on the road south of me, there is no other house or signal
> > > generation within a mile. http://tinyurl.com/cy7zv7h
> > > 
> > > Thanks for any suggestions.
> > > 
> > > Gary
> > > KA1J
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Topband reflector - topband at contesting.com
> > > 
> > > 
> > > -----
> > > No virus found in this message.
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> > > 11/29/12
> > >
> > 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Topband reflector - topband at contesting.com
> 





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