Topband: [RFI] Powerline noise question

[David Raymond]

Frank. . . about a year or so ago I had a nasty RFI problem on TB 
present when I was looking toward Europe.  It only appeared from 
November through March (prime TB season) and was about S7 on the 
transmit array.  I had struggled trying to get it isolated.  My local 
power company was very cooperative and willing to help (which they did) 
but did not have much technical capability needed to isolate the 
problem.  After living with it for a whole season I ordered the WD8DSB 
portable flag kit from DX Engineering after seeing the QST article below 
and talking with Don/WD8DSB.  Upon Don's advice I also picked up a Radio 
Shack DX-440 portable receiver off of EBay.  The flag and DX-440 make a 
dynamite combination (the receiver is remarkably good for something that 
was not too expensive to begin with).  After searching for the 
interference source for over a year, within a couple days of completing 
construction of the loop I had my problem isolated to a Chinese 
manufactured float charger on a motorcycle battery about 0.75 miles away 
(motorcycle being stored during off season).  The charger was 
transmitting the interference back through the service panel, the 
transformer and out onto the single phase distribution line which was 
radiating like crazy.  I can highly recommend the WD8DXB flag kit from 
DX Engineering or build one yourself.  Put a good sensitive receiver 
with it like the Realistic DX-440 and you'll have a very effective 
portable (on foot) way of DFing interference.

73 and Happy New Year to all. . . Dave, W0FLS

On 12/29/2022 9:53 PM, Frank W3LPL wrote:
> I recently built a WB8DSB man portable flag antenna (March 2021 QST)