[Elecraft] OT -RFI question

[Jim Miller KG0KP]

I called the pace maker company.  My wife got one and the literature 
specified to not be in the strong fields of radio waves including CB and 
amateur radio (IMO, the illegal CBers caused most of this interference 
nightmare with their illegal power and splattering).  My wife freaked out.

The lady who took the call at the pacemaker company asked intelligent, 
applicable questions (with my wife also on the phone).  I immediately 
thought she was surprisingly knowledgeable about radio and used all the 
proper terms.  After answering the questions and her giving assurance there 
would be no problem, I asked her if she was a ham and she gave me her call 
sign.  My wife threw up her hands like all you hams stick together but I 
reminded her this lady was the expert on her pacemaker and knew what she was 
talking about.  All her answers and explanations matched what I had told her 
already that it was unlikely with the radios today and being operated 
properly and legally that it should be just fine.

She was very leery for a while and if she thought anything might be 
happening, she would call me and see if I was transmitting.  Nothing ever 
happened and she is now comfortable that I don't cause her any problems.  I 
run up to 100 watts into attic antennas and legal limit into a vertical 
about 90 feet from the house.  NO PROBLEMS, ever with her pacemaker.  7 
years now.  Just like the lady said.

CALL THEM.  Hopefully you will get the intelligent, informed answer instead 
of the political, CYA answer they print in their documentation.

I do have problems with one of my two meter verticals in the attic being 
about 4 feet from one of the fire alarm wires so when I forget to turn it 
down below 70 watts on 2 meters FM, the fire alarms go off, then my wife 
goes off, and I get "reminded" to turn it down.  Still happens ocassionally.

Happily hamming,
73, de Jim KG0KP




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Cutter" <d.cutter at ntlworld.com>
To: "Elecraft" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2011 1:31 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT -RFI question


> I'm sure Jim Brown will advise you to read his tutorials, but, basically,
> keep rf out of the shack.
>
> 73
> David
> G3UNA
>
>
>> Larry I do RFI engineering. Pacemakers are a lot like avionics relative 
>> to
>> ham
>> radio. The working spectrums for pacemakers, avionics, and ham radios are
>> widely
>> separated by both frequency and function. The probability of their mutual
>> interaction is very small. Unfortunately the penalty for even small 
>> errors
>> in
>> pacemakers or avionics is very high. The testing is extensive but there 
>> is
>> no
>> way one can conceive of all error modes therefore testing will always be
>> incomplete.
>>
>> Also the designers of pacemakers are usually focused on medical function
>> and may
>> miss critical RFI errors.
>>
>> Use your skills learned in ham radio to follow the electronics of your 
>> own
>> pacemaker. Pay particular attention to how the doctor adjusts the
>> pacemaker.
>> This is not so you can do your own tweaking. Rather this is to avoid
>> inadvertent
>> ham radio actions that may also effect your pacemaker. Knowledge is your
>> best
>> defense.
>>
>> 73
>> de Fred, AE6QL
>>
>>
>> >
>> I'm getting a Pacemaker installed.
>>
>> Has anyone heard of RFI issues with Pacemakers?
>>
>>
>>
>> de K2GN - Larry <mailto:k2gn at k2gn.com>  - http://k2gn.com
>> <http://k2gn.com/>
>>
>>
>> K3 S/N - 3278    P3 S/N - 51  LPA500
>>
>>
>>
>>
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