[Elecraft] slightly OT -- acceptable network switch (aka > Linksysproduces birdies)

[Al Gulseth]

Bob,

Just a quick question here. Are your power feeds Romex/NM, or is everything 
run in conduit? Would/could that make a difference (i.e. can electrical noise 
from a device such as a modem/router or its power supply be radiated via the 
home's AC wiring?)

TNX/73, Al

On  Sat, 6 Feb 2016 12:03:39 -0600 Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote:

> After reading all of this, I investigated my system here.  First, no
> birdies found on any of the bands.  WHEW!   Noise on the 160M center fed
> wire w/balanced feed line is about S-3 this morning, noise on the coax
> fed 75M inverted V is S-2, and noise on the coax fed  40M inverted V is
> S-3, and noise on the coax fed 20M inverted V is S-3. These seem to be a
> bit higher then normal but it is Saturday and everybody is home in the
> neighborhood.
>
> Our system arrives with fiber underground to the box the TELCO provided
> on the end of the house.  Out of that box runs a CAT5E cable up the
> wall, into the attic, across the attic and drops through the ceiling,
> then around the bookcase desk to the modem/switch sitting under the
> desk.    The modem/switch is a CISCO LinkSys EA4500.  Two of the ports
> are being used, printer and laptop,  and the other two are open.   The
> power for the modem/switch, power for the computer, the printer, the CLF
> lamp on the desk along with the radios all come from one power source
> being a dedicated 20A service back to the main breaker panel, again at
> the far end of the house, on the inside wall, being the same wall the
> CAT5E cable runs up to the attic.   The run from the TELCO box to the
> station is about 75 ft.  Same from the breaker panel to the operating
> position for station and amp power.  Those feeds are #12-2 w/ ground and
> #10-3 w/ground respectively.  Being in the middle and upstairs of a 2
> story house there is no station ground to the outside world, other than
> the provided safety 3rd pin ground as required.  I do have a dedicated
> 240V 20A service for the amp and that service is in the attic back to
> the main breaker panel.
>
> Antennas are all above the roof, no more than 50 ft and less with the
> tower at the corner of the house, and mostly less with a couple, 40M
> wire and 20M wire actually having the ends terminated at the eve of the
> 2nd story.  The point being, there is not a lot of physical separation
> between the CAT5E cable and the antennas and power wiring.
>
> To me it is very puzzling why so many seem to have issues and a few do
> not.  I could elaborate about station equipment connectivity.  It would
> most likely start a controversy as to what is correct and what is
> incorrect.  My point, if one is having issues, this should trigger a
> thought to investigate how and what is configured with the station.  In
> some cases, I'm sure certain equipment is more prone to generate
> noise/birdies than others.
>
> 73
> Bob, K4TAX