[GCARC] What’s up with KC2IEB’s HF Station?

Sun Apr 11 16:08:52 EDT 2021

Glad to hear about your progress and that the League was able to help.
By all means contact your electric company.  I know that Atlantic Electric takes these complaints seriously.  I have no experience with PSE&G.
Chuck, WA2TML

Sent from my iPad

> On Apr 11, 2021, at 3:26 PM, Christopher Wawak <chris at wawak.org> wrote:
> 
> Hey all - I wanted to give a bit of an update on what’s going on with my HF
> station. At some point in the last 6 months, SOMETHING began making noise
> from 15m to below 40m at 100khz intervals. It would be on for days,
> sometimes go out at night, and some times be absent for days at a time.
> Totally strange.
> 
> I worked with Paul C. at ARRL. We went through every step of the RFI
> finding process together - checking the house for faults, getting the right
> equipment, keeping an RFI log, etc. While we initially thought it might
> have been solar panel noise, it turns out that wasn’t the case.
> 
> After a few radio directionfinding sessions, I believe the noise is either
> coming  from my electric meter (M), or one of two nearby electric poles
> (P0, P1).
> 
> Care to take a walk with me and see for yourself?
> 
> https://youtu.be/v3oJLtUBrlc
> 
> While I actually verified I was tracking the right signal with the
> waterfall display of my IC705, I found the Eton a fine tool for making a
> point.
> 
> What do you think, am I on the right track here? What should I do next,
> talk to PSEG? I need some help verifying the poles are correct. Anyone care
> to verify their own findings?
> 
> If you’d like to see more of the noise, here:
> https://youtu.be/_HakPPEKmWY
> 
> 
> Chris
> 
>> On Sun, Dec 6, 2020 at 8:57 AM Tony Starr <tstarr1450 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Chris,
>> 
>> I have an Eton Elite Mini pocket radio that I use exclusively for tracking
>> noise sources. It is by no means a good receiver, but it has a headphone
>> jack, a telescopic whip antenna, and covers a wide range of frequencies, so
>> it is perfect for noise tracking.  Also, it fits in a shirt pocket.  About
>> $35 from Amazon.  73.
>> 
>> Tony K3TS
>> 
>>> On Sat, Dec 5, 2020 at 4:27 PM Christopher Wawak <chris at wawak.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Just wanted to reply with a little closure:
>>> 
>>> Thanks for all your suggestions! I dodged a bullet this time, as even
>>> though I am fairly certain I got somewhat close to the noise source (using
>>> the awful AM receiver on my FT3D), the noise disappeared and I haven't
>>> seen
>>> it since. My hunch is it was one of those "laser" led projector lights
>>> that
>>> shoot snowflake shapes on your house.
>>> 
>>> I got great suggestions that I'm keeping for next time, and now I can
>>> search for the perfect cheap portable shortwave receiver should the need
>>> arise again.
>>> 
>>> 73,
>>> Chris
>>> 
>>> On Sun, Nov 29, 2020 at 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
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> --
>>> -- Chris
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>> 
>> --
> -- Chris
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