[Yaesu] Noise blanker recommendations

[Doug]

On 10/22/2017 09:27 PM, John Geiger wrote:
> I was making a rather serious (given my small antennas) effort today in the
> Illinois QSO Party and had to deal with this intermittent noise I have here
> for pretty much the entire contest.  It is a raspy, hash type noise that
> will be on for 2 or 3 seconds, then will end, but come back every 20 to 30
> seconds.  I  have figured out it is not in my house, and doesn't seem to be
> power line noise.  At one time I thought I had localized it to a house
> about 4 houses to the west of me, but the house is now unoccupied, but the
> noise is still there.
>
> Anyways, I was using the Kenwood TS950SD which I just picked up, and it is
> a great rig with lots of receiver tools.  The noise blanker pretty much
> knocked out the noise, but it also produced plenty of IMD products when the
> band got busy and put a raspy sound on many of the signals, so I was having
> to turn the NB off and on trying to make the signals as best as I could
> with this noise.  Even engaged the attenuator a few times on 40m which
> helped a little, but also weakened signals.
>
> I have had a slight windfall recently and can afford to get a newer, better
> rig if I want.  Are there any recent Yaesus that have noise blankers that
> take out many different types of noise, but don't mess with the receive
> signals and receiver dynamic range?  I wonder if the DSP based noise
> blankers are better?  An older rig would be ok also if it would meet those
> criteria.
>
> 73 John AF5CC
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I seriously suggest that you find the source of the noise and make it stop!
It could be an arcing insulator in the AC power distribution, and then the
power company will fix it. There are numerous articles devoted to finding
noise sources, in QST and CQ and the ARRL Handbook, I think also. Google's
your friend. Not only a lot cheaper than another radio, but much more 
effective.
The kind of noise you describe is probably not blankable!

--doug, WA2SAY