Topband: Boradband noise on 160 meters tracked down to apartment complex

[Don Kirk]

Recently noticed an increase in my noise level on 160 meters (in the
direction of my 300 degree pointed pennant), and about 3 weeks ago I
tracked it down to a new apartment complex which is located 0.41 miles
away.  Today I noticed that the signal had a repeating pattern of
approximately 30 minutes on and 5 minutes off when listening at my house,
so I jumped in the car and drove over to the apartment complex to make sure
the signal at the apartment complex had the same repeating pattern and was
in time sync with the noise at my house.  Thankfully it was, and I made
recordings at the apartment complex today showing I could predict when the
signal would go off and come back on based on the time pattern I was
following at my house.

I have created a website documenting my direction finding activities for
this broadband RFI case, and uploaded my prediction recording today.  Here
is the link to my simple website that documents this case :
http://sites.google.com/site/broadbandrfi/

I contacted the apartment complex today notifying them that I was now 100%
confident that the broadband noise was originating from their building, and
will now work with their management to locate the exact source so they can
follow up with the manufacturer of the equipment for resolution.  Based on
what I have heard so far it sounds like a motor (probably a variable speed
motor controller), but that's just a guess at this time (sounds like it's
winding up in speed when it first comes on and you can hear this on the
recording I made at the apartment complex today).

Just FYI, and another very interesting one to track down.

73,
Don Kirk (wd8dsb)