[TowerTalk] High voltage transmission lines

[Paul Kelley N1BUG]

Steve,

If it were me I would scratch that home site off my list. But if you 
really want to settle there, at least drive around with a mobile rig 
and listen to all bands of interest before you purchase. Do this 
under various weather conditions.

I live near a 46 kV line. For many years I had noise from it on all 
bands. It was S9+ 24/7 on 160 and 80m. Eventually they had to do 
major maintenance on the line to keep it operational, and for a time 
most of the noise went away.

Last winter it started acting up again. On cold nights I would get 
S9+60 noise on 160 meters from a problem on the line more than 7 
miles from my home. The problem was (is) 7 miles away but the noise 
rides the line which passes within a few hundred feet of my 
antennas. The noise was progressively weaker on higher bands but 
effectively prevented any operation on cold nights.

Things may be different where you live but here there is essentially 
zero chance of getting problems like this corrected.

73,
Paul N1BUG


Steve wrote:
> A possible home site I'm looking at is situated between two high voltage 
> transmission lines. The two transmission lines run roughly east-west and 
> are approximately parallel to each other.
> 
> The transmission line to the south of the home site is 138KV and is 
> several decades in age. It is about 1300ft from the home site to the line.
> 
> The transmission line to the north is either 345KV or 765KV (I received 
> conflicting information) and was constructed in the 1990's. It is about 
> 800ft distant from the home site.
> 
> Are high voltage transmission lines at the distances noted a source of 
> noise in receivers in the 160 through 6 meter bands? I have dreams of 
> wire antennas, verticals and beverages for 160 and 80 meters. And wire 
> antennas and beams for 40 through 6 meters.
> 
> Anyone live within 800 to 1300 feet of these lines with experience to 
> share regarding their effects on 160 through 6 meter operations?
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Steve K8JQ