[SADXA] HF amplifier for sale

JERRY jdwothe at cox.net
Wed Jun 26 16:49:54 EDT 2013 

Hi Tom:

The noise issue is a messy one at best and now days with all the 
electronics its very difficult to pin down what is making the noise. 
Anyone who has tried to listen to the weak signals  for very long have 
run into the problem whether they know it or not. The problem is far 
worse now than when I began in the 50s when just about the only thing 
that made noise was  the TV sets.

Through the years I have had several cases of various kinds of RFI and 
have had  good success with Ferites with a lot of the problems. Just the 
addition of adding a computer to the station is introducing RFI. Then 
there are the peripherals for computers, like printers, USB hubs, 
routers etc. Been there with all of them at one time or the other.

Unfortunately I did not record with any of those things sound like and 
would not now recognize many of them if I did hear it. Some times I get 
noises one would say for sure is a power line noise but isn't. The TEP 
guy from Tucson, who is now gone, a couple of times came out and 
listened to what I was hearing and tracked the items down even though we 
knew up front it was not Power line stuff. That will never happen again 
I would bet. No anyway if the management knows about it. Gary, the TEP, 
guy found a water heater thermostat causing problems and it was over a 
quarter mile away. He also found a dog fence causing a huge problem  for 
me until he came up with it.

I know Dick, W1KSZ, has looked at this a bit and maybe someone in the 
club will come up with some of the  typical sounds for all the identify 
with. We will see.

Heard you on 6 last night calling Jimmy at V31 but did not hear you make 
a report. I did not hear a  thing from him when you were calling. I 
worked him a couple of days ago so that took the pressure off. I also 
caught the VP2V/W9DR a very few minutes after V31IV. They were both new 
ones for me, Nos 62 and 63 worked.

In any event I guess we will have to work around the noise thing until 
something better comes along.

Jerry

On 6/25/2013 9:00 AM, Tom Kramer wrote:
> 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 w7key
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