[TowerTalk] Power Line Noise

[Paul Christensen]

>"I believe every Power Utility is required by the FCC to have an available
way of responding to RFI complaints.  So you should have to do no more than
call the regional office and ask for the engineering department stating you
are a customer with an RFI problem.  Many utilities have an "RFI guy"."

The utility may have a designated "RFI guy," but that person may have many
other responsibilities that take him or her away from becoming, or staying
proficient with RFI search technique.  Back 2006, I had terrible line noise.
The lead RFI person at our local utility was extra-class licensed and is a
registered professional engineer in the State of Florida.  When he and his
reporting manager arrived, they had no equipment but an MFJ noise detector
on a 3-element hand stick.  

I described the RFI and showed them the extent of the +20 dB/S9 noise by
activating the noise blanker on my Icom 7800.  The two looked at each other
in disbelief that I escalated the issue.  Finally, the extra-class PE said
to me: "Well, why don't you just keep the noise blanker on?"

Paul, W9AC