[TowerTalk] high-tension lines

[Robert Shohet]

At my qth I have high tension lines (on a power company right-of-way) at the
foot of my property about 150 yds from my towers.  The closest high tension
poles are @ NW and @NE.  Apart from when the air gets extremely dry and cold
and I notice a qrn-like noise about S-9 in those directions - probably from
insulator leakage - they have no effect on the high bands.  **NOTE** These
are not the super high power lines that you see on an interstate but rather
the next level down.

On 80 and 160, there is a "buzz" about s5 - s6 in strength, about every 28
khz when I aim in those directions.  This is definitely power line related
but is not noticeable under normal operating condx on those bands.

Of course, a more potentially more pressing problem is the fact that these
lines can act as a big "antenna" and pick up and re-radiate ambient noise
and insulator leakage from miles away - which sometimes does happen to the
West in contests, leading to an S9+ line noise for which there really is no
cure since I can't find where it is coming from.

High tension lines can be a real problem, however, if you put up a dipole
about 20' high, and bring a radio to the site, you should be able to get a
good indication as to how noisy it really is.  You really need to test the
location, not just assume that it is noisy.  BE CAREFUL though if you have
AM broadcast within 2 - 3 miles, that could cause problems!

In my case, although other locations are quieter, there is no doubt that my
location is worth the occasional high band line noise (although I do curse
at it when it occurs in contests!).   Remember though, that if you have a
high and in the clear location, you will hear all kinds of crap and noise
anyway, just because you will hear everything!

GL & 73

Bob KQ2M



[TowerTalk] Towers, CCRs and high-tension lines
>
>
> I'm preparing to move to Des Moines and have been house hunting. Finding a
> house big enough to hold my 7 kids that does not have CCR's against
outdoor
> antennas has been a royal pain, and the 2 real estate guys I've been
working
> with had only a handful of places to show me. One of them, a very nicely
> priced repossession, has some high-tension power lines about 150 yards
> behind the house. Does anyone have any experience with these, especially
in
> terms of how noisy are they? I'm inclined to turn thumbs down on this
> particular place for that reason alone but would like to hear the
experience
> of the assembled multitude first.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Alan Braun NS0B
>
> ==================================================
> Alan Braun MD, NS0B
> Jefferson City MO
>
>
>
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> FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
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>
>


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