[Lowfer] AC utility meter QRM on LF

Wed Oct 6 18:12:27 EDT 2010

Oh yes, I agree with you regarding the gun fight.  That is in fact
what I was saying.  Yes, let sleeping dogs...well...sleep!  :)

On Oct 6, 2010, at 4:59 PM, "Paul Daulton" <k5wms at centurytel.net> wrote:

> Eric the phrase let sleeping dogs lie (or lyingdogs sleep) comes to
> mind. Going up against the power companies would be like carring a
> knife to a gun fight. We would loose.
>
> I have one of the offending meters and hear birdies up through the 80
> meter band, not so much on lowfer.
> I need to hook up SDR rec and run a sweep of 100 to 200khz. Most of the
> gadgets like AC shut down switches for peak periods seem to be short
> lived. Maybe this technology will be short lived.
>
> A few years ago I got bills for minimum, about $15, for several months.
> It took at least 12 or 15 calls to get meter replaced. Thankfully they
> didnt bill me for back payment. I suspect the teenager in charge didnt
> know what to do.
>
> Paul k5wms
>
> Quoting Eric Smith <esmithmail at gmail.com>:
>> Hey guys, what do you think about this?  Now, I'm just playing devil's
>> advocate here...as you know, I am on your side:
>>
>> Now, I would term our experimental 2200m license grants as
>> "provisional", and here is why:  Since it was the utilities that
>> raised a fuss essentially shutting down 2200m as a formal ham band,
>> how strong do you think we could go to the net when making a statement
>> that the power company is interfering with a duly FCC licensed radio
>> station??  That is, when talking 2200m?
>>
>> What do you think?
>>
>> Eric KD5UWL / WD2XFX
>>
>>
>> On Oct 6, 2010, at 2:48 PM, "Stan, W1LE" <stanw1le at verizon.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Hello Dex,
>>>
>>> 1. Would be interesting to get a broadband current probe around one of
>>> the AC conductors,
>>> then feed the probe output to the Rx.
>>>
>>> 2. Maybe the manufacturer has a out of band RF power trap to place at
>>> the source (meter).
>>> Suppress the noise at the source.
>>>
>>> 3. Maybe the manufacturer or the electric coop RFI/EMI section can
>>> advise on where
>>> the real energy is, freq wise. So all other energy can be suppressed.
>>> I would lodge a formal RFI/EMI complaint with them first....
>>> Interfering with FCC licensed emergency radio communications.... blah,
>>> blah, blah
>>>
>>> 4. The plastic (non-metallic) meter case may not provide adequate
>>> shielding,
>>> supplement with a metal shield.
>>>
>>> Stan, W1LE       Cape Cod     FN41sr
>>>
>>>
>>> On 10/6/2010 1:05 PM, Dexter McIntyre W4DEX wrote:
>>>> My local power utility recently replaced a 900 MHz remote reading meter
>>>> with a new type.  The 900 MHz meter had a FCC ID and I was able to find
>>>> all the test data on that meter when it was installed about 5 years
>>>> ago.  The new meter has no FCC certification probably because it
>>>> transmits it's data via PLC.  The 900 MHz meter required a drive by to
>>>> read the power usage once a month where as this new meter transmits data
>>>> multiple times per day.
>>>>
>>>> As soon as the new meter was installed I noticed several UPS units I
>>>> have online would switch to battery.  Then I started havening problems
>>>> with several X-10 devices which would either toggle on or off when the
>>>> meter sent data.  The data regularly transmits every 12 hours with what
>>>> appears to be random minute intervals.  I have also noticed it often
>>>> transmits at either 4 or 8 hour intervals.  The data last for about 3
>>>> seconds.  This data appears to be very wide band or at least generating
>>>> a lot of wide band noise when it transmits.  I have been trying to
>>>> determine at what frequency most of the power is on but so far haven't
>>>> been able to.  At first I thought since the X-10 units were being
>>>> scrambled the meter might be on 120 kHz.  But we know 120 kHz will not
>>>> pass through power distribution transformers, at least not at X-10 power
>>>> levels.
>>>>
>>>> Today with the SDR-IQ set to view 0 to 190 khz and connected to my LF
>>>> xmit antenna I can detect what appears to be other meters also
>> transmitting.
>>>>
>>>> Picture of the SDR display which shows the approximate 3 second
>>>> transmission:
>>>>
>>>> http://w4dex.com/temp/ac_utility/utility_meter_data.jpg
>>>>
>>>> Picture of the meter:
>>>>
>>>> http://w4dex.com/temp/ac_utility/utility_meter_landisgry_focus.jpg
>>>>
>>>> I'm afraid this will be a real nuisance when I connect my LF receive
>>>> antennas for the winter.
>>>>
>>>> Dex
>>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>>> Lowfer mailing list
>>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/lowfer
>>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>>> Post: mailto:Lowfer at mailman.qth.net
>>>>
>>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>>>
>>>
>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>> Lowfer mailing list
>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/lowfer
>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>> Post: mailto:Lowfer at mailman.qth.net
>>>
>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Lowfer mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/lowfer
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:Lowfer at mailman.qth.net
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>
>
> Paul Daulton K5WMS
> beacon WMS 185.302 khz qrss30/slow 24/7
> Jacksonville,Ar 72076
> em34wu
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Lowfer mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/lowfer
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Lowfer at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html