[Mobile-Portable] HF amp causing false error codes in my auto computer.

[KA4INM]

   Terry K7FE k7fe at aol.com wrote:

> Ray, W4BYG
> Ferrite in the right places will usually solve the RFI in your vehicle computer issues.

> My problems were solved with clamp-on ferrite over "every" lead in and out of my engine control computer.  Where possible, I ran the leads through the ferrite multiple times and/or used multiple clamp-on ferrites over the wiring.

> My vehicle would stall when I used my homebrew 1kw amplifier.  At freeway speeds that was exciting.  Like you, I already had ferrite on the coax and other leads related to my ham gear.  My stalling problem was a result of RF from the antenna radiating into my vehicles wiring, specifically the engine control module.  My Ford has the module under the hood near the firewall.  I did shield the engine control module prior to trying ferrite and the engine still stalled when using my amplifier.

   I always connect a six or eight inch long piece of tinned coax braid 
from the lid to the firewall at a hinge or the center of the firewall 
with sheet metal screws, but I sand the paint off at both palaces where 
I will put the screw and I apply a liberal coating of Anti-Ox between 
the braid and the sheet metal.  I don't know if it helps as I have never 
operated without grounding the hood and I never had a problem with 100 
Watts of H.F. power.  (with the antenna over the driver, mostly 10 meters)
-- 
   Ron KA4INM