[K3PZN-List] Help with Noise on 160M - Finksburg Area (J Sears)

[J Sears]

Stu,
   Thanks for answering.. it is a broadband noise that manifests itself on the entire 160M band.  I dont knnow of any electric fences near me but there is a 300kv transmission line not far away.  Thats why I asked Pete if he heard it, he is closer to it.  Before I go running aroiund the neighborhood with a portable radio I want see if others are hearing it. This way I know whether it is propagated beyond my local area.  It is even present when on total battery power. 
 
Again if you listen to it in the AM mode (6 khz bandwidth) it sounds like classic AC noise.
 
Jim

It is better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.

Radm Grace Hopper

--- On Mon, 12/12/11, Philip Karras <ke3fl at yahoo.com> wrote:


From: Philip Karras <ke3fl at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [K3PZN-List] Help with Noise on 160M - Finksburg Area (J Sears)
To: "k3pzn-list at mailman.qth.net" <k3pzn-list at mailman.qth.net>
Date: Monday, December 12, 2011, 12:52 PM


Jim,
 
Stu, let you know what kind of noise it was so I'll let you know the mechanism and at least one likely cause. I've read a number of articles in QST about noise and this kind, which most often goes away when it rains, is because the rain is giving the system a better path to ground and thus the noise is reduced or completely eliminated because the sparking is eliminated. Almost any kind of electrical system can cause this but the most written about cause seems to be electric fences, the kind that keep animals in & people out
 
A case in point, assuming I remember this correctly, was an electric fence that would spark to ground because the Ground wire was not enough of a Ground when the soil was hard and dry. Once water was added to the ground around the Grounding wire, and they waited long enough for it to soak in, the wet ground was once again a good enough Ground to take the otherwise building up potential different which was causing the sparking from fence to ground and thus the sparking noise was eliminated.
 
This is usually a very localized noise problem and you'll need to take an AM receiver to the field to locate the source, see if a portable broadcast receiver works, tune it to a non-station frequency for best results. Once you've located a potential source of the problem see if you can locate the ground wire and add some water to the ground at that point.
 
Then, if it is not your property ask your neighbor for help in eliminating the noise source.
 
73 de ke3fl
Phil 

--------------------------------------------------
 
Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:00:16 -0800 (PST)
From: J Sears <aat3ok at yahoo.com>
Subject: [K3PZN-List] Help with Noise on 160M - Finksburg Area
To: k3pzn-list at mailman.qth.net
Message-ID:
    <1323662416.99566.YahooMailClassic at web130107.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Can those of you that live in the general area of Finksburg listen to the 160M band and see if you are hearing a broadband AC noise that covers the entire band.? CHeck in the AM mode if you have it.. 
?
At my place off sandymount road it is S6-7 most days. What is supprising is that it comes and goes from time to time.? It seems to me that it goes when it rains most of the time.? It seems counter intuitive to me that it should do this. 
?
Pete it might be more in evidence at your place but Steve and Bill may also hear it from their QTH.
?
Thanks? 
?
Jim WA3MEJ

It is better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.

Radm Grace Hopper
______________________________________________________________
K3PZN-List mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/k3pzn-list
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:K3PZN-List at mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html