[Lowfer] power line interference

[Charlie , W5COV]

I built an ultrasonic receiver with a small hand held parabolic dish and 
once you are in the area they are absolutely amazing at getting problems 
pinpointed exactly .

Having tagged along with the FCC on a 2 year long noise problem from the 
local utility company , I learned a LOT about noise finding . They were here 
at least once a month , on the Kansas side of the line in Coffeyville .

Plus I was a consulting engineer for that same power company for 5 years and 
had to handle all of the noise complaints . I could write a book on what 
causes problems and locating and resolving them .

MOST utilities are very good at working with hams , since if it is there 
problem , the ARRL and FCC WILL get involved and stay involved as long as 
the problem lasts .

Also the ARRL engineer was here ,along with a well known expert in the field 
, that has written a book , so I learned even more modern methods , than 
when I used to lug around a Sprague noise interference locator that had a 
small loop on it and must have weighed 50 pounds !!

It does sound like the entire crossarm and hardware needs to be rebuilt .

With copper prices what they are , I found half a dozen or more poles with 
the ground wire cut off as high as they could reach . So that is an obvious 
thing to check .

One thing I don't know how much I agree with , but the expert that the ARRL 
brought in , said that all of the ground wire staples could not be metal and 
they replaced them with an insulated one .

The insulator certainly needs to be replaced . They also need to check any 
other insulators for carbon tracking . A problem that I commonly found .

Also when they replace the insulator another very common problem is the tie 
wires . I found that often too , they cause a terrible fuss sound . So have 
them replace the tie wires .

Have them tighten EVERY piece of hardware , especially on the crossarms , 
even on adjacent poles .

Also a very common problem on the older lines comes from the clip that they 
use on the transformer that you are on and sometimes a pole or two away. 
INSIST that they put the new version on that has a bolt to hold it tight , 
instead of the old clips.

Sorry I got carried away , but it is something that I worked with for many 
years and still do some consulting on today .

Perhaps this will help other people too .

If I can think of anything else that was common on the distribution lines , 
I will add it later .

Actually about 75 % of the problems that I found were in the surrounding 
homes . Fish tank heaters , electric fences that weren't known to the 
complaining party , door bell transformers and recently plasma TV's .

Hope this helps someone .

Charlie , W5COV