[ICOM] Icom 756PRO question

[Dick Flanagan]

At 01:37 PM 2/21/2006, Bill Gode, Sr. wrote:
 >Hi Dick,
 >
 >Here's an interesting site with recordings of RF noise.
 >
 >See if you can identify your local QRN.
 >
 >http://ve3hls.tripod.com/noise/rfihome.html

Thanks, Bill.  The closest noise on the site is that of a light dimmer.

I don't want to belabor the point as this could quickly diverge away from 
anything ICOM-related, but to the extent it might help determine if the 
current crop of ICOM noise blankers might help it, I will cut myself a 
little slack here.

The noise I am experiencing is broad-banded.  It is predominantly on the 
lower bands, but I can hear it on higher frequencies albeit significantly 
reduced in amplitude.  My normal "sitting" 80 meter noise level is S4-6 and 
on a band scope it looks like the usual "grass" and signals across the band.

When my noise source starts, my noise level will rise to S9 and this 
saw-toothed wave will cover the bottom of the scope across the entire 
band.  The noise doesn't have clicks or other rhythmic components to 
it.  The noise will continue for anywhere from ten seconds to five minutes, 
be off for a similar random period and then start again.  Some nights it 
isn't there at all.  Other nights I have to go watch TV.

In a private e-mail Ed Dickinson suggested it might be humidity 
related.  This is certainly a possibility, but keep in mind I live in the 
high-desert of Northern Nevada where the humidity is so low that some 
wooden furniture actually shrinks.

Assuming for the moment that this *is* power line arcing, would this be the 
kind of noise a modern DSP-based noise blanker, such as in the 756P3, could 
minimize?

73, Dick
--
Dick Flanagan K7VC NV SM
E-mail: k7vc at arrl.org