[TowerTalk] Noise Folow up

Tue Sep 16 18:16:04 EDT 2008

Billy,

Thanks for the input, I believe I have identified the pole where the 
noise comes from but right now the radio is quite, rechecked the 
particular pole and it is also very quite, still have two poles that are 
very noisy but I think that there far enough away, 1/2 mile, that they 
don't bother me, the one thats close, 1/8 or less of a mile, is now 
quite and has been that way since yesterday.

Ive started a log for noise and pole activity but right now I am blessed 
that the noise isn't bothering me, should it start again off I go with 
the VX-5R using AM receiver on 134MHz and also 332MHz.  The power 
company uses 332MHz but they claimed they couldn't hear anything.  I 
really don't think they knew how to use there gear since it reminded me 
of the MFJ unit and it uses a headphone to listen, there truck didn't 
have a headphone and they were relying on a meter movement.

Keep the reflector posted if it starts again and what I've found.  I 
will take a look at the portable Yagi and if needed start building.  
Thanks again.

Thanks to everyone who responded with some great ideas.

73 de
Ron W4LDE

Billy Cox wrote:
> Excellent progress Ron!
>
> Here's what I did ... I just built a HB 3 element yagi for the 
> R/S AM <aircraft band> receiver that I was using ... look in an 
> old QST for the exact details ... pretty fast/cheap/easy to build 
> and several locals have used this unit for many years now 'to hunt' 
> down their problems.
>
> Here's the link for the QST article ... the PDF is on their site.
>
> http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/pdf/099252.pdf
>
> Hope this helps!
>
> 73 de Billy, AA4NU
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>   
>> From: w4lde <w4lde at numail.org>
>> Sent: Sep 15, 2008 8:49 PM
>> To: TowerTalk <towertalk at contesting.com>
>> Cc: rfi-request at contesting.com, "Digitalradio at yahoo" <digitalradio at yahoogroups.com>
>> Subject: [TowerTalk] Noise Folow up
>>
>> Original post by Ron W4LDE
>>
>>     
>>>>> If this question is inappropriate for the reflector I apologize but as 
>>>>>           
>> of last Friday 9-5-08 I started to experience significant noise (S-9) on all 
>> bands from 160 through 15M with the lower frequencies much stronger.  I 
>> thought that it was due to power line noise but it appears to be 
>> intermittent in that it completely disappeared last Friday evening but 
>> once again showed up last Saturday and stayed this way.  On the Ft1000mp 
>> the noise blankers are completely ineffective.  At the same time I 
>> started having internet problems and the cable company indicated they 
>> should have the speed issue fixed by Tuesday.<<<
>>
>>     
>>>>> The cables are run on poles until they enter a subdivision which then 
>>>>>           
>> run underground.  My question is can cable lines be the possible problem 
>> to HF frequencies?  The power and cable companies have been installing 
>> new poles and running new lines in the area which initially led me to 
>> believe it was a power issue however, while I was writing this email the 
>> noise completely disappeared for a few seconds and then reappeared.  As 
>> I was looking out my window I noticed a cable company buck truck  
>> through the woods towards the main road, I am off now to talk to them 
>> and see what I can discover.  Any suggestions?<<<
>>
>> ----------Follow up !!! -------------------- 9-15-08 ------------------
>>
>> On 9-8 I contacted the local power company via email regarding the above, unexpectedly 
>> I received a call from the Maintenance Manager who stated don't worry we will be out 
>> maybe tomorrow and find the cause.  They did show up, two buck trucks and full crews plus a 332-335 MHz Yagi and noise receiver.
>>
>> Unfortunately they said that they couldn't find anything and suggested it might be from a neighbors home.  
>> They scanned my home but couldn't find a thing.
>>
>> I was one unhappy ham and expressed that they needed to keep looking.
>>
>> I believe I have ruled out a radio problem since the noise was about the same on a FT-1000mp and a FT-847 and neither 
>> noise blanker would dent the noise.  A MFJ-Noise phasing unit helped some but only improved the noise by about 1-2 S-units.
>>
>> I spent some time connecting and disconnecting home devices plus disconnecting one house breaker at a time. 
>>
>> Friday the 12th I decided that maybe I could help find the problem and using a 
>> Yaesu VX-5R and rubber ducky at 134MHz and also at 329MHz AM started my search.
>>
>> I found significant noise at three different power poles, all new ones, with two west of my antenna about 1/8 mile and the other
>> to the east at also about 1/8 mile.  So I thought I had found the problem and would be reporting this condition today.
>>
>> When I came into the shack this AM to compose the email I happen to turn on the rig and to my amazement the noise was gone.
>> eleven days I had a Ham Radio Black out on the low bands.  Was I one happy guy.  I thought I better go check out the poles.
>> Off I went and yes the noise was gone at the poles, very quite.
>>
>> Went out later this afternoon and took the VX-5R, things were still quite up and down the main road.
>> After being gone for three hours as I was approaching the sub-division I turned the 
>> VX-5R back on and WAM there was the same power poles and noise.  My heart sunk, O-Sh_t I shouted and my XYL 
>> who understood the situation gave me her famous look and said keep on looking, write the reflector they can help.
>>
>> Well after arriving home and one hour later in the shack I turned on the radio and found NO significant noise. 
>> S-0 on 20-meters, S-2-3 on 30 meters and maybe as high as S-4 on 40M, at 4PM thats not bad.
>> I was amazed once again and kinda dumb founded as to were to look next if I have to.
>>
>> Here's some of my thoughts,
>>
>> 1.  Today for the first time in the past few weeks we finally had a cool day, high around 80 (occurred around 5PM)
>> and a low tonight of 60
>> 	a) Lower temps caused all connections to tighten and when it finally warmed up around 4-5pm it started again at the poles.
>>
>> 2.  Since there is still home building going on near us as the crews were leaving the construction site a week ago 
>> maybe they left chargers on for there power equipment and after doing there thing finally turned them off this AM and left the site.
>>
>> 3.  I did find out that the telephone company was having lots of noise problems 
>>     
> >from there own installation.  Not at my home but close.
>   
>> 	a) Can't believe thats the fix since the noise stopped early on Monday 
>> which didn't give them much time to complete the task, they started last Wednesday.
>>
>> 4.  Cool days, less power consumed by the A/C units, less amps, less noise (is it s stretch?)
>>
>>
>> Ok I thought, maybe I should invest in a 144/440 hand held yagi plus the cables and adapters to help in a wider search 
>> area but wanted recommendations as to what I should be looking at if the noise returns I would be using the VX-5r on 138 am MHz and 332 am MHz.  
>> Any thoughts are appreciated.
>>
>> I believe I have ruled out a radio problem since the noise was about the same on a FT-1000mp and a FT-847 and neither 
>> noise blanker would dent the noise.  A MFJ-Noise phasing unit helped some but only improved the noise by about 1-2 S-units. 
>>
>> Any ideas where I should look next time and heres a pray that there isn't one, is it worth the cost to invest now or wait?
>> get a 114/440 Yagi or just stay with a 144 hand held Yagi. 
>>
>> Thanks for the bandwidth and thoughts, wish I could take credit for the current fix but I'm happy right now!
>>
>> 73 de 
>> Ron W4LDE
>>
>>
>>
>>
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