[SADXA] [RFI identification

Wed Jun 26 14:41:43 EDT 2013

When I installed a garage door opener I found the sensors for 
obstructions on the door were making great noises on the bands. I put 
some Ferrite on the leads and that got it down to where is is not a 
problem now. Just I do not remember what the noise sounded like.

I also had a HP printer that had a Switching Power supply that put a 
nice birdie at about 1.812 KHz which was not good at all. It took me a 
couple of years to figure out what it was. It was an accident when I 
found it as I had it tuned in on my receiver and went to print something 
and noticed the birdie seemed to be modulated by something when I 
printed. Then it was easy.

These bugs are everywhere.

Jerry
W6XI
On 6/26/2013 10:57 AM, jim_kf7e at cox.net wrote:
>    Plasma TVs are powerful broadband noises, from the two I have heard. But
> in my neighborhood all buig screen TVs seem to have strong LOs.
>
>    I have several horse fences here also, but they are easy to identify.
> Worst issue for me is when the owners let grass and bushes grow to where
> the fence arcs to them. That is easy to fix, if they mow.
>
>    I hd S9+30 dB digital noise 18 yeard ago on 11 MHz and below, peaked near
> some HV mains about a ile away. It sounded a lot like BPL, but the SRP
> people said they knew nothing about such a project. It went away after I
> made it knoen I was investigating, and I still have no idea what it was.
> But it was digital modulation.
>
>     I have more trouble on the average with the srtange and variable signals
> from modems and PCs and perhaps control signals running over neighbors'
> home wiring. These signals seem to be perversely common near choice DX
> frequencies, especially on 160 and 6m.
>
>    I have had great success locaing powerline arcs using a HT tuned to a
> clear spot in the 125-135 MHz aeronautical band (AM) with a 5 element
> handheld LPDA antenna made by ELK. If you have an HT that can RX on AM in
> the 2m and 440 bands, it works evn better with this antenna.
>
>    Once I identify the source, the SRP people usually come fix it.
>
>    But locating which TV out of many in use during prime time, thats a
> different story!
>
>    GL
>
> KF7E
>
>
>
> Original email:
> -----------------
> From: Richard Solomon dickw1ksz at gmail.com
> Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 10:36:05 -0700
> To: jim_kf7e at cox.net, sadxa at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [SADXA] [RFI identification
>
>
> The ARRL site needs some tweaking ... the Sony TV is not
> identified as to what type (Plasma ??). That would be useful.
>
> The VE3 site doesn't seem to work ... click on RF Interference
> and you get sent to some list that has nothing to do with RFI.
>
> My neighbor has horses and she put up an electric fence, WOW !!
> The noise spikes were horrific. But when I explained the problem to
> her and gave her a download from the manufacturers website, she
> removed it. Nice person.
>
> I would love to hear a sound file of a Plasma TV. I don't think I
> hear one, it's pretty quiet out here, but it would be nice.
>
> 73, Dick, W1KSZ
>
>
> On Tue, Jun 25, 2013 at 12:15 PM, jim_kf7e at cox.net <jim_kf7e at cox.net> wrote:
>
>> (I changed the subject line, since this thread has nothing to do with a
> amp
>> for sale..)
>>
>>
>> There are several sites online that have recordings to help identify
>> various sources.
>>
>> One is at ARRL  http://www.arrl.org/sounds-of-rfi
>>
>> ANother at  http://randombio.com/interference.html
>>
>> And even one at Eham   http://www.eham.net/articles/8430
>>
>> Actually it is a link to:  http://www.ve3hls.com/noise/rfihome.html
>>
>>
>> There are others, but maybe these will help you get started.
>>
>> There are a couple companies in the Biz making instruments, although there
>> are much less expensive 'home brew' solutions to making good detectors.
>>
>> One comany is   http://www.radarengineers.com/rfitvi.htm
>>
>> Their models 330 and 250 I have used with success, and I believe SRP uses
>> tham in their inventory of tools.
>>
>> 73  Jim  KF7E
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Original email:
>> -----------------
>> From: Tom Kramer tkramer at azci.net
>> Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2013 09:00:25 -0700
>> To: sadxa at mailman.qth.net, w7swl at yahoo.com
>> Subject: Re: [SADXA] HF amplifier for sale
>>
>>
>> Hi Jerry,
>>    A sad commentary on corporate America but becoming more and more common
>> as
>> companies simply ignore regulations until they get litigated in some way.
>> However, my main objective is to highlight this part of your message:
>> ".. folks ... seem not to either know what they are hearing..."
>> as that is often my problem.  I get all kinds of interference but have a
>> hard time deterring what it might be.
>>
>>     I am not certain how we might do this but a nifty club program would be
>> demonstrating what different RFI signals might sound like, not just power
>> line, but plasma TVs, internet Wi-Fi, washing machines etc.  I can with
>> relative ease record what my neighbors washing machine sounds like on 6m (
>> and 17, 15,12,10, 2 and 222 mHz).  Also can record the Wi-Fi interference
>> from my ISP on 160 -> 10m.   Can others in the group record plasma TV RFI
>> and other interference that they can identify?
>>
>>    I just had an occurrence this morning while running FSK441 Meteor
> scatter
>> on 2m.  Suddenly was hit but an S9 noise.  Off the center frequency it
>> sounded like white noise but tuning to the signal peak it was pulsating.
> I
>> got out my FT817 and put on a 12 inch wire antenna and walked my yard and
>> near neighbors houses only to discover it was the USB hub on my own
>> desktop.
>> I could copy it up to 100 ft away from the shack.  I use it to connect two
>> USB to serial adapters for connecting my two main radios for computer
>> interface.   Disconnected the hub and connected the USB/serial adapters
>> direct to desktop ... no RFI.  BUT what's even more weird is when I
>> connected the USB hub to the back of the computer and use it for the
>> keyboard and Wi-Fi modem and ...NO RFI.  Hard to figure out.
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "JERRY" <jdwothe at cox.net>
>> To: "Bob Coomler" <w7swl at yahoo.com>; "Southern AZ DX Association E-Mail
>> Reflector" <sadxa at mailman.qth.net>
>> Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2013 11:27 AM
>> Subject: Re: [SADXA] HF amplifier for sale
>>
>>
>>> Hi Bob:
>>>
>>> Well at issue here is we need folks that have RFI to make a list of
> their
>>> issues and call them in so we have something to work with.
>>>
>>> The problem I personally have is pretty minor however there are folks
>> much
>>> closer to a big noise source that seem not to either know what they are
>>> hearing or it isn't a big enough issue to do something. What I am afraid
>>> of is one of these days a big source will show up and there is no quick
>>> path to resolve it as there was when Gary was around. Going the route
> you
>>> suggest and what is probably going to have to happen will take weeks and
>>> maybe even months to resolve.
>>>
>>> I mentioned it a few month ago at radio club before Gary retired and the
>>> reception was like a flock of deer in the headlights. I just cannot
>>> believe no one in town has RFI problems.
>>>
>>> It took Gary and I many months to track down all the issues within about
>>> 2.5 miles of my place that I could hear on one band or the other. Right
>>> now it is great but in time that is going to change.
>>>
>>> I suspect TEP still has the equipment Gary was using but in time I also
>>> know corporations send stuff not being use to salvage, then when they
>> need
>>> it, it wont be in the budget so they cant go out and buy new.
>>>
>>> Thanks for the input.
>>>
>>> Jerry
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 6/23/2013 10:46 AM, Bob Coomler wrote:
>>>> If you are an ARRL member, I'd suggest contacting Mike Gruber, W1MG, at
>>>> the League headquarters.  When I was living in northern California,
> PG&E
>>>> kept blowing off my complaints, but Mike was able to work some magic
> and
>>>> I had their undivided attention.  They ended up bringing in an
>>>> independent RFI consultant from the east coast.  My problem was found,
>>>> solved and PG&E had the foresight to make it an in-service for the
>> staff.
>>>> I doubt that TEP would similarly respond, but Mr. Gruber does seem to
>> get
>>>> things done.
>>>>
>>>> Bob W7SWL
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> ________________________________
>>>>> From: JERRY <jdwothe at cox.net>
>>>>> To: Southern AZ DX Association E-Mail Reflector <sadxa at mailman.qth.net
>>>>> Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2013 10:01 AM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [SADXA] HF amplifier for sale
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Hi Ted:
>>>>>
>>>>> Sad to say that TEP finds that noise abatement  by their power lines
> is
>>>>> no longer a concern to them. They have not and do not intend to
> replace
>>>>> Gary. Our only first step is to contact TEP and file an RFI complaint.
>> I
>>>>> have done that and they blew it off without even a reply. Then if I
>>>>> understand the process we are to file a compliant with the state but I
>>>>> am not sure who as I have not looked into it. If that does not get
> them
>>>>> off the dime then we are to file a complaint with the FCC outlining
>>>>> dates and who we have contacted regarding the RFI.
>>>>>
>>>>> I would hope it doesn't get to that but it might in order for them to
>>>>> get someone in that position.
>>>>>
>>>>> Regarding the tower, it is sold.
>>>>>
>>>>> BTW to put that tower up in Pima county would be just about impossible
>>>>> with the situation we find ourselves in with the county.
>>>>>
>>>>> Jerry
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On 6/23/2013 9:49 AM, Theodore DOWNING wrote:
>>>>>> Jerry,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Good to see you at SADXA and an interesting talk. I am ready to move
>>>>>> out into the boondocks after returning home to listen to the urban
>>>>>> noise.  Who is the contact point in TEP now that Gary has retired?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Second, do you still have Donny's tower?  I may be interested if it
>>>>>> has engineering papers...for my new place in the boonies.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Ted w7keyï»¿
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