[RVRC] Severe Power Line Interference

Mon Jan 27 17:45:21 EST 2025

Follow up from my 1/15/25 email regarding power line interference...

Thus far my power line interference episode is a bit convoluted though and 
not resolved yet.

Following a voice mail from a "Gilberto" at JCP&L Engineering on 1/15/25, 
the day after my NJBPU filed complaint,  I was to expect a follow up report 
from him after their investigation.

Through 1/21/25, a week after my NJBPU complaint the interference was steady 
and stronger with a "vengeance" at 20 over 9 in my driveway with a 16 inch 
whip on my mobile HF rig tuned to 40 meters.  My driveway is about ½ mile 
away from the suspicious interference area of Elm Ave in Warren, NJ and my 
HF operation at my home is profoundly compromised.

Interestingly, on 1/22/25 the interference was gone at 4PM and returned for 
only a few minutes at 8:28PM and remained quiet a few days after that time. 
(What a relief - so I thought) This led me to the possible presumption 
(wishful thinking) that JCP&L found and perhaps resolved the problem without 
a follow up report to me.

However, today 1/27/25 the interference returned with a "vengeance" again 
and intermittently stops for a few seconds intervals every once in a while. 
Interestingly, I received a 3PM call from "John" (an amateur radio operator 
but did not give me his call sign) at JCP&L today, 1/27/25, and he was 
responding to my first of 4 complaints made directly to JCP&L on 12/23/24 
before I became frustrated and notified the NJBPU subsequently.

I told him that I received a prior call from Gilberto in JCP&L engineering 
but John was apparently unaware of my NJBPU complaint or Gilberto's call to 
me; but knew who Gilberto was in engineering though. I explained to John 
that the interference was gone for a few days and now it is back but stops 
for a very short period every few minutes.

He stated that he is going to investigate the area and will call me to 
confirm that the interference is happening when he goes out to investigate. 
John was very familiar with Elm Ave. (Hmmmm!)  Since the interference 
returned, John indicated that he suspects that an insulator is breaking down 
perhaps exacerbated by the weather conditions.
So at this juncture it appears that JCP&L does not have interoffice 
coordination but I suppose that I have to be patient in hopes that their 
engineering department will eventually coalesce to resolve the interference 
problem.

For now though, even with Noise Blanker on, HF reception is profoundly 
compromised and mitigated if I place the side of the beam to the 
interference direction.

Hank N2MU   ...-.-   ..

---------------------

-----Original Message-----
From: rvrc-bounces at mailman.qth.net <rvrc-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf 
Of HMLong
Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2025 3:42 PM
To: RVRC at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [RVRC] Severe Power Line Interference

To the RVRC and ETS members.

Upon Bill's [W2CA] urging I thought that I would share the ongoing issue 
with severe power line interference I am experiencing with the members.
The problem for me is that the line interference is across the bands from 
LF, HF, VHF, and UHF.
On the HF bands I am experiencing 10 over S9 steady noise level with the 
receiver preamp off at my residence.   When I drive through Elm Ave I get 30 
over 9 noise level on 40meters with just a 16" whip and the AM radio 
buzzes...

The noise actually seemed to grow stronger over time leaving me the 
speculative presumption that what ever is breaking down is doing so over a 
greater period of each cycle.

So with the suggestion from Bill, I decided to notify the NJBPU to see if I 
could get results after making 4 requests directly to JCP&L with no 
response.

Here is the progress thus far.
______________________________________________________________________
The following is what I forwarded to the NJBPU online complaint form on 
01/14/2025.
You are limited to 1000 characters:
--------------------------------------------
I discovered severe 120hz power line interference emanating from Elm Ave 
line poles, in Warren, NJ approximately ½ mile linear distance from my 
residence a few weeks ago. The line interference generally peaks at Elm Ave, 
in Warren, NJ and diminishes several miles as you travel away from Elm Ave 
on Mountain Rd in Martinsville, NJ. Further, the interference slowly 
diminishes as you travel away from the Elm Ave intersection on Martinsville 
Road in Warren. The interference affects all the way through Lf, HF, VHF, 
and UHF spectrum and is interfering with RF communication. I reported this 
incidental RF radiation to JCP&L with the forgoing information on 4 separate 
occasions. 12/23/24 #358780459; 01/02/25 #358843453; 01/08/25 #358878254; 
and 01/10/25 #358892787. However, the line interference is so severe that it 
needs immediate corrective attention and I delayed reporting it to the FCC 
field office with the hope that JCP&L will investigate and resolve the power 
line interference in a timely manner.
__________________________________________________________________________
On 01/15/2025 I received a voice mail response from a JCP&L personnel that 
assured me that an investigation will be made and get back to me with the 
results after their investigation.
------------------------------------------

Further, I received the following email as well on 01/15/2025.

Good Morning Mr. Long,
I am in receipt of your inquiry/complaint on the radio frequency 
interference caused by JPC&L facilities along Elm Ave in Warren.
We are conducting an investigation into this matter. JCP&L engineers are 
investigating the issue and will inform the Board of their findings. 
Depending on the complexity of the issue, it may take some time.
We will be staying on top of this matter.
If you have any further concerns/issue please do not hesitate to reach out.
Thank you,
Rupal Patel
___________________________________________________________________

At this juncture I can only hope that the interference will be resolved and 
I will inform the members of any progress....
My thanks to Bill for his coaching...
73 from Hank   N2MU    ...-.-    ..

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