Topband: Topband Digest, Vol 199, Issue 12

Wed Jul 24 12:11:39 EDT 2019

I called PSE and got the customer service agent that services our area.
Within a week, I got a message that they had contacted the RFI Consultants
(Vancouver WA)  with an order to survey my area.  The consultant is Dave
Schwarz of Schwarz Electric 360-773-5786 in Vancouver.  He can do nothing
without a purchase order from PSE.

Jim K7EG

-----Original Message-----
From: Topband <topband-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of
topband-request at contesting.com
Sent: Wednesday, July 24, 2019 9:00 AM
To: topband at contesting.com
Subject: Topband Digest, Vol 199, Issue 12

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Today's Topics:

   1. 160 meter noise (Lee STRAHAN)
   2. Re: RFI on TB (Ken K6MR)
   3. Re: RFI on TB (Chuck Dietz)
   4. RFI On TopBand by 57JNDenneny (Dick Bingham)
   5. Re: RFI on TB (k3ky at radioprism.com)
   6. Re: RFI on TB (Guy Olinger K2AV)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2019 16:37:31 +0000
From: Lee STRAHAN <k7tjr at msn.com>
To: "topband at contesting.com" <topband at contesting.com>
Subject: Topband: 160 meter noise
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

  I have a Ray Jeff 680/ADF marine radio direction finder I have used for
noise location for a long time and it is in need of some maintenance.
I have looked for a schematic for years without success. If anyone has a
schematic they could share I would appreciate a copy.
Even a similar model number schematic may help.
Thanks Guys,

Lee   K7TJR   OR.

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2019 17:02:27 +0000
From: Ken K6MR <k6mr at outlook.com>
To: "topband at contesting.com" <topband at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: Topband: RFI on TB
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"

I want to know how you guys get the power company to respond so quickly.
I?ve been calling Pacific Gas and Electric for 6 weeks now and nothing.  I
can?t even get a phone call.

Ken K6MR

________________________________
From: Topband <topband-bounces at contesting.com> on behalf of K4SAV
<RadioXX at charter.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2019 8:43:56 AM
To: topband at contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: RFI on TB

Don't know why the mail system thinks this message is spam... Trying again.

Lightning surge suppressor on power poles can be big noise generators when
they go bad.  The worst one I found was three miles from my house and
created S9 noise on my receiving array.  Its characteristics fooled me at
first because it didn't sound like something a power pole could generate.
It sounded like someone holding down the dash lever on a keyer set at about
10 wpm and running continuously 24/7.  Then one day I heard it break into a
more random pattern.  That's when I went looking for it.

Found it easily because of the huge noise signature.  Called it in to the
power company, gave them the pole number and which component on the pole was
at fault.  Went back home and turned on the radio and the noise was gone.
Couldn't believe that so I drove back to the pole and they had already
disconnected the surge suppressor. Best repair time ever.

I use an MFJ-856 to get close and a homebrew ultrasonic detector to identify
the exact component on the pole.  MFJ also now makes an ultrasonic detector,
the MFJ-5008.

Jerry, K4SAV
_________________
Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector

------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2019 12:34:57 -0500
From: Chuck Dietz <w5prchuck at gmail.com>
To: Ken K6MR <k6mr at outlook.com>
Cc: "topband at contesting.com" <topband at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: Topband: RFI on TB
Message-ID:
	<CAOk0j1-GZapcJ28a9KvQDsX4MTj1U2EFFhOBE5C=AXHcxD+4XQ at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

In the Houston, Texas area the hams know the cell number of the guy who
works for the electric distribution company locating the noise sources. We
can call him and leave a very detailed message about the noise source
location and he is quick to verify it and have it repaired. Ask around.

Logan Dietz W5PR

On Tue, Jul 23, 2019 at 12:03 PM Ken K6MR <k6mr at outlook.com> wrote:

> I want to know how you guys get the power company to respond so quickly.
> I?ve been calling Pacific Gas and Electric for 6 weeks now and 
> nothing.  I can?t even get a phone call.
>
>
>
> Ken K6MR
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Topband <topband-bounces at contesting.com> on behalf of K4SAV < 
> RadioXX at charter.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2019 8:43:56 AM
> To: topband at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: Topband: RFI on TB
>
>
> Don't know why the mail system thinks this message is spam... Trying
again.
>
> Lightning surge suppressor on power poles can be big noise generators 
> when they go bad.  The worst one I found was three miles from my house 
> and created S9 noise on my receiving array.  Its characteristics 
> fooled me at first because it didn't sound like something a power pole 
> could generate.  It sounded like someone holding down the dash lever 
> on a keyer set at about 10 wpm and running continuously 24/7.  Then 
> one day I heard it break into a more random pattern.  That's when I 
> went looking for it.
>
> Found it easily because of the huge noise signature.  Called it in to 
> the power company, gave them the pole number and which component on 
> the pole was at fault.  Went back home and turned on the radio and the 
> noise was gone.  Couldn't believe that so I drove back to the pole and 
> they had already disconnected the surge suppressor. Best repair time ever.
>
> I use an MFJ-856 to get close and a homebrew ultrasonic detector to 
> identify the exact component on the pole.  MFJ also now makes an 
> ultrasonic detector, the MFJ-5008.
>
> Jerry, K4SAV
> _________________
> Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband 
> Reflector _________________ Searchable Archives: 
> http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
>

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2019 14:36:18 -0700
From: Dick Bingham <dick.bingham at gmail.com>
To: Topband <topband at contesting.com>
Subject: Topband: RFI On TopBand by 57JNDenneny
Message-ID:
	<CAMX=kLktG-NmPw5dbQTshEoVkJJN0v3CpSFFuvx=a+Ag6PJJGw at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

Regarding ===>
"Message: 1
Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2019 15:59:44 -0700
From: <57JNDenneny at comcast.net>
To: <topband at contesting.com>
Subject: Topband: RFI on TB "

As a starting point to check-out *everything* between the feed-line
connection directly at the *antenna feed-point* and a receiver, connect a
50-ohm termination at the *antenna-end* of the feed-line (assuming 50-ohm
coax).
Is the "RFI"  gone and no detected signals, if so, good.

If *not,* you have bigger problems! Terminate the receiver (after removing
the antenna feed coax from the receiver) in 50-ohms - record the S-Meter
'reading' .

Replace the 50-ohm load on the receiver with the feed-line and record what
the S-Meter is displaying - is it close to what was recorded with the 50-ohm
termination ? If not, you have some serious clean-up work to do.

You will be dealing with Common Mode (CM) currents that have to be
eliminated. The "clean up" process is more easily accomplished if you have a
near-DC-to-30MHz spectrum analyzer available to ensure you are not dealing
with 10-pounds of 'stuff' in a 9-pound capacity flexible container - push it
down 'here' and something pops-up 'there'.

Once the CM-issues have been resolved, your receiver S-Meter will be, almost
certainly, close to S-zero in the absence of desired signals and propagated
noise. This is what I have been able to achieve in a big city environment at
CN97uj using balanced dipoles and feed-point chokes.

------------------------------

Message: 5
Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2019 14:51:20 -0700
From: <k3ky at radioprism.com>
To: topband at contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: RFI on TB
Message-ID:

<20190723145120.767ec283a8137edf9501d1a9c178a72b.dd37216977.wbe at email27.goda
ddy.com>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Rumor has it PG&E is facing possible bankruptcy due to being found
responsible for the big fire(s) in CA. That being the case, I would expect
they would have to re-prioritize greatly- problems such as yours are, to
them, 'lost in their noise'
(pun intended).

73, David K3KY

(You wrote:)

I want to know how you guys get the power company to respond so quickly.
I?ve been calling Pacific Gas and Electric for 6 weeks now and nothing.
I can?t even get a phone call.

Ken K6MR

------------------------------

Message: 6
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2019 02:13:59 -0400
From: Guy Olinger K2AV <k2av.guy at gmail.com>
To: Rob Atkinson <ranchorobbo at gmail.com>
Cc: TopBand List <topband at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: Topband: RFI on TB
Message-ID:
	<CANckpc2UYu2Syc+qpyuH+NayoOZR+CLkC8bdy6hMD-A3HZtceg at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

I gotta agree with Rob. An inverted L aerial wire will hear ALL the noise
that is around. Mine sure does. RX antenna will help enormously if there is
a place to put one that does not get the noise second hand off the L. Not
enough room? A bit complicated, but "repeated" noise off the L can be dealt
with.

The worst noises around here heard on my L were all repaired by the power
company. The nastiest noise was very hard to find, I actually never "found"
it by looking for it. Noise turned out to be from a bad splice in an
underground 13 kV cable going from the 13 kV delta overhead out on US 64 to
the transformer for my eastern neighbor and next house over. It would come
and go with extended cold weather, but never would correlate to sunlight or
darkness. I would hear it next to my transformer walking around with my
battery K2 and a rubber ducky. It would never locate to up on a pole (only
power noise that didn't).

Finally the splice hard-arced, exploding the fuse up on the pole for the
neighbor's 13 kV feed, and taking those two houses off the grid. The noise
went away with the cannon shot noise. Blessed quiet on 160 and 80. I had put
up with that for almost four years.

In the end, Duke Energy completely reran his AND my buried 13kV lines, and
replaced his transformer. 35 years in the ground, 35 year old cable design
and materials, and deficient in THEIR opinion. Was really fun to watch them
use this super-neat burrowing setup that went right UNDER the woods and the
creek (whole other story). Now I can hear the lesser noises on my L from all
over Apex and Cary :>)  Need RX antenna for sure. That way I don't have to
listen to the Cary, NC noise (NE) at the same time as the generally closer
and louder Apex, NC noise (S, SE).

73, Guy K2AV

On Tue, Jul 23, 2019 at 9:37 AM Rob Atkinson <ranchorobbo at gmail.com> wrote:

> > Over past few months, I have picked up an S5-S7 noise signature on 
> > my TB
> inv
> > L antenna with K2AV FCP system.
>
> I would not use an inverted L for receiving.  Unusable for rx at my 
> QTH but FB for transmitting.
>
> 73
> Rob
> K5UJ
> _________________
> Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband 
> Reflector
>

------------------------------

Subject: Digest Footer

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------------------------------

End of Topband Digest, Vol 199, Issue 12
****************************************