[OKDXA] Power Line Noise

[Coy Day]

Kim,

Do you know who the pole belongs to?

Coy
-- 
Coy Day, N5OK
20685 SW 29
Union City, OK 73090
405-483-5632




Kimberly Elmore wrote:
> Recently, I've noticed some pretty severe, intermittent power line noise
> at my QTH. It had previously been a marvelously quiet place for radio, but
> over the past moth or two, that has changed. I had it again this morning
> and so decided to do some sleuthing.
>
> I live E of Norman in the center of a section bordered by Robinson on the
> S side, 48th St on the W side, Rock Creek Rd on the N side and 60th St on
> the E side. Both OG&E and OEC lines run down all roads. The OG&E lines run
> 35 kV -- I don't know what the OEC lines run. My neighborhood is served by
> OG&E and all wiring is under ground; step down transformers are above
> ground on concrete pads.
>
> Here are the details:
>
> I cannot detect the noise on any band above 40 m, but it's clearly
> apparent on 40, 80 and 160 m. My Orion II noise balnkre is ineffective on
> 40 m (either the software or hardware noise blanker) but is very effective
> on 80 and 160 m. Because I cannot hear it above 7 MHz, I'm pretty sure
> that the source is not emanating from a neighbor's house or from a nearby
> step-down transformer.
>
> Using my K9AY loops, I can detect the noise when the loops favor either NE
> or SE, but not when they favor NW or SW. Thus, the source is either to my
> N or my E.
>
> Using my 2 el 40 m beam, I found sharp nulls with the beam pointed either
> N or S (probably nulls off of the sides), and less noise when the beam is
> pointed W than when it is pointed E (~S9+25 dB pointed E, ~S9+15 dB
> pointed W). So, F/B ratio favors a source to my E.
>
> I then got in my car, tuned my mobile rig to the aviation band and to a
> quiet frequency (Westheimer tower) so that I could use the AM detector at
> VHF and started driving E along Robinson to 60th street. I heard nothing
> of substance along Robinson. I turned N and drove along 60th and found a
> strong noise source. I double checked my traverse and found the same spot
> three different times. It was considerably weaker from across the road
> than it is next to the pole. There is a private going E from 60th street
> and away from the offending pole and driving down it 100 feet diminishes
> the signal strength significantly. The ground wire for the pole appears
> intact at the base.  I am absolutely positive that I have identified the
> pole holding the faulty hardware. I could see nothing obviously loose, but
> the culprit is most certainly there.
>
> The noise is intermittent: it starts and stops abruptly as the wind blows,
> though I can detect no obvious correlation to wind changes and the
> starting and stopping of the noise.
>
> What now? Whom do I contact with my information? And now for the cynical
> question: what are my chances that they will care?
>
> Kim Elmore, N5OP
>
>
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