[GCARC] HF RFI - 17m Nasties and Portable Radio Recs

[Agustin Neron Properties LLC]

Chris,
Try bypassing the AH-4 entirely, remove both the tuner and cable and see if it eliminates it so you can at least rule it out.

I had a noise source a little over a year ago that drove me crazy, and it was similar to yours except would appear on most bands. It turned out to be a new display hutch we got, with a touch light switch to turn on the display (I'll never get anything like that again!). 100W would trip it on or off. I could send a single dit, the noise would either disappear or appear, broadband and s9+. Eventually figured it out but one of those crazy things. Thought it was a sticky relay at first but did the same in the radios and amp.
Some solar systems generate terrible noise, another possible headache.

Best of luck troubleshooting it.
73 Darrell AB2E

> On 11/29/2020 6:14 PM Christopher Wawak <chris at wawak.org> wrote:
> 
>  
> TLDR - need a gadget to track down some gnarly noise on 17m. Can you
> recommend a gadget that will help?
> 
> The problem:
> Today at my home around 3PM I noticed crazy S9 broadband noise starting
> around 17m all the way up past 15 and on. ( https://imgur.com/a/6VcmFPB )
> 
> Not a lot of noise of this type noticeable lower than 17m, with no noise at
> all below 20m. It repeated every 100khz, with S9 at each 100khz peak.
> Anyone else notice a similar mess today?
> 
> The facts:
> 1. I picked up the noise on both an IC-7300 and a yaesu FT-857d. The noise
> only shows up when plugged into the only antenna I have up right now. No
> noise when either radio is unplugged.
> 2, I have a ~90 foot unshielded 4 conductor control cable going from my
> shack to the AH-4 remote antenna tuner, which is connected to a "30m
> dipole". I wonder if this is the culprit. I do have shielded 4 conductor
> cable ready to go if necessary.
> 3. A LOT of neighbors put up xmas lights today. I, a slacker, have not.
> 4. I did a full survey of the house, and absolutely no new electronic
> devices were turned on, brought into the house, or otherwise
> 5. I tried walking around inside and outside with my FT-3D HT tuned (on AM)
> to the frequency, and it just picked up static but nothing like the noise I
> was getting. I noticed no difference in the noise no matter where it was
> tuned, which makes me thing it wasn't picking up the noise.
> 
> Next steps:
> 1. I plan to do the "turn everything off and see if the noise is still
> there", but that will have to wait until tomorrow. My kids are afraid of
> the dark.
> 2. Once the rain stops tomorrow, I'm going to try replacing the ATU wtih a
> balun, and see if the noise is still there.
> 3. If the noise is still there, I guess it's time to go hunting. If the
> noise goes away, I'll try the shielded cable.
> 
> Questions:
> 1. Other than a few SDRs and that FT-3D, I don’t have a portable HF
> receiver - is there something cheap that I can pick up from HRO or Amazon
> that will let me tune up around 17/15m?
> 2. Is there an antenna that's ideal for finding noise while walking around?
> I have a VHF RX loop which I'm not sure will work in this use.
> 
> Thanks and 73,
> 
> Chris
> ______________________________________________________________
> GCARC mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/gcarc
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:GCARC at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html