[Paham] Powerline interference

Sun, 12 Oct 2003 12:10:52 EDT

Subj:   Re: [6 Meter Sked]=20
Date:   10/11/2003 6:55:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time=20
From:=A0 =A0 [email protected] (Christopher Boone)
Reply-to:=A0 =A0 [email protected]
To:=A0 =A0 [email protected], [email protected]

I used to do RFI/TVI investigation for 12+ years at my former employer=20
(Gulf States Utilities or GSU now part of Entergy). I was the only ham=20
in the telecommunications department in the Western Division at the time=20
and got sent on a number of such cases (because I could speak "their"=20
language)...I got to sit on my fat rear most of the time while the line=20
crew did the rough work.....but loved the overtime and cleaning up the=20
problems for customers!

A good way to determine the noise source yourself is:

1) make sure you have NO problems in your own house...anything after the=20
meter is YOUR problem....If you can power the gear off a 12v battery or=20
other such source, try turning off the MAIN disconnect breaker outside..
thus killing the house entirely...if the noise remains, it's definitely=20
NOT your problem...
2) if it IS in your wiring, open breakers one at a time to determine=20
which branch has it...if NOT in your wiring, and it may be coming from a=20
neighbors, this can be complicated...if on good terms with them, ask=20
them if you can have them turn off breakers in their house to determine=20
the noise source (NEVER do that yourself.....have THEM do it at their=20
house...saves you grief and trouble later)...if a problem is found, ask=20
them to have it fixed..do NOT offer to fix it yourself unless you are a=20
license electrician. If they balk, offer to pay for half of the repairs.
3) If its not in your neighbors home, then its time to look for it down=20
the road...or on the line...two ways to finding it: an AM rcvr (with S=20
Meter preferred) and yagi in the FM band to search at 88 MHz (down to 50=20
MHz is ok....but going lower is hard due to antenna size) AND a VHF rcvr=20
in the 220 band with a SMTR and portable handheld yagi to find it once=20
close enough.. Noise will travel down a power line like an antenna (it=20
IS 60Hz AC and noise is harmonics! the wire doesnt care) and can go for=20
MILES without attenuation..only thing that stops it is a xfmr or=20
capacitor bank IN LINE (home xmfrs do not stop the noise on the main line)
4) Try to traingluate the noise using the lower band antenna and=20
rcvr..try to find two points you can hear the noise and then figure out=20
where lines from those two points come together on a map....may need to=20
get 1/2 mile or so away from your house in either direction to get a=20
good bearing...if you cannot hear the noise, try to get a bearing using=20
your home antenna; then go and use a two point method once you can hear=20
it with the portable gear. Once you get a rough area where it may be,=20
use the HIGH end gear to pinpoint it (noise attenutates higher in freq=20
and thus the higher you go, the easier it is to pinpoint with a decent=20
yagi with decent directivity).
5) If you find it on a power company line, pole, etc DONOT attempt to do=20
anything yourself....it is a violation of state and/or federal law to=20
tamper with a power companies' property and needless to say, anything=20
that happens can put you in a lawsuit situation....(this for those who=20
think they can fix it themselves!!!)...contact the power company who is=20
repsonsible for the poles (in states with de-regulation, it MAY NOT be=20
the same company YOU buy power from.....in Houston, Centerpoint is the=20
WIRES company...but they do not sell POWER..keep that in mind when=20
calling..make sure the company you contact IS the distribution company!
Make sure you give them the location, freq and noise level, time of day,=20
wx conditions (does it go away in rain? does cold dry air make it=20
worse?? Believe me, telling that to the folks who come to fix it will=20
make their job easier and get it done faster....been there, done that
for a living! :)
6) Remember you are not their only customer and since you are not a=20
"revenue" job which makes them money, you may be low on the list...
if they balk or do not respond in say 30 days, then its time to call in=20
the big guns....You can reach Riley via [email protected] if I recall...
he does have a private email.....and I think its been published=20
before...but I will only send it to Doug directly...not in this email..
(I've chatted with Riley a couple of times in email..he IS quick to=20
respond)...
7) Also keep in touch with your state PSC/PUC, etc....but TRY to resolve=20
it 1st with the company if you can.....keeps them happy and if you ever=20
have to go to them again, they remember if you called the FCC/state guys=20
in before giving them a chance...and they get a little pissy about it!

If customer service IS a PITA (and they are not good for TVI/RFI=20
problems; all they know is how to answer the phone), request an engineer=20
in their Right Of Way department....or someone in their=20
telecommunications dept ;)

Hope this helps in any way...you gotta the play the game and play it=20
right...but eventually it can get fixed...

Chris
WB5ITT
Former St Telecom Tech
Gulf States Util 1984-1994 & Entergy/Gulf States 1994-1996

> Before you go contacting the FCC:
>=20
>=A0=A0 a.. Log the names, dates & times, & content of all calls to the util=
ity=20
company
>=A0=A0 b.. Build a contact list.. names, addresses, tel num, fax num, email=
=20
address, etc.=A0=20
>=A0=A0 c.. Are you reaching the correct department at the utility company ?=
=A0=A0=20
There's no sense in going around with 'customer service' when it's usually t=
he=20
engineering department you need to talk to.
>=A0=A0 d.. If you're not getting anywhere after a few calls then send the=20
utility company a certified, return receipt letter describing your complaint=
.=A0 Doing=20
so usually may clear the administrative bottleneck and run-around you might=20
be getting.=A0 The utility company will now note that you can prove when the=
y=20
received the letter.
>=A0=A0 e.. If you do finally complaint to the FCC, include copies of letter=
s,=20
emails, and phone logs... The FCC is very interested if the utility company=20=
is=20
not addressing your complaint ion a timely fashion.
> Remember that 'timely' is relative.=A0 Your need to clear an interference=20
problem for this weekend's contest is generally not considered emergency by=20=
the=20
utility company.=A0=A0 Restoring interrupted service is generally a utility=20
company's first priority.=A0 Hooking up new service is usually second.=A0 Co=
llections are=20
usually third.=A0=A0 Planning for future demands might likely be number 4.=
=A0=20
Interference may be way down on THEIR list - your job is to move it to numbe=
r 5=20
while still maintaining a cordial relationship with them.
>=20
> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
> 73, Frank

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