[SADXA] Power Line Interference Process

[Carl Foster]

Fellow Amateur Radio Enthusiast,

We are working with Tucson Electric Power (TEP) to identify areas where
people are having significant difficulty receiving signals on the amateur or
AM broadcast bands due to power-line noise. TEP is gearing up to handle
complaints through their Customer Service department. If you are having
significant power-line interference problems, please do the following.  

To preclude false reports, please run the following two tests before
contacting TEP. 

1. Set up a portable or other battery-operated receiver that receives the
interference. Turn your main house breaker off and see if the noise
disappears. If the noise is still there with your house power completely
off, then continue. Setting the receiver to AM will help with this test. 

2. (Optional) If you have an oscilloscope, connect it to your receiver
output and set the horizontal sync to "line." If the interference stays
locked then it is likely from power lines. 

3. Call TEP Customer Service at 523-7711

.         State that you are experiencing power-line interference, and that
you have conducted a house power-off test and the interference is still
there. Keep your statement to the point. Do not include threats or emotional
pleas. As Sgt. Friday used to say, "Just the facts." If you need help with
the oscilloscope or power-off test, please contact me and either I or
someone else will help you. 

.         Include the following information: 

.         Your TEP Account Number

.         Your Name

.         A phone number that you are most likely to answer

.         Specific frequency or frequencies (use frequencies, not band
designators, avoid saying "all bands," just state the two or three worst
frequencies)

.         Nature of interference, including S-meter readings if you have
them

.         Any additional helpful information (location of a specific pole,
azimuth from your location, time that it is worse, time when it goes away,
weather conditions that make it worse or better including rain, low
humidity, or winds)

Note the time and date of the phone call and who you spoke with. Compose an
email message to me that includes the date and time of the call, your
callsign, your name, who you spoke with, and the information that you gave
the TEP Customer Service person. Send it to KB7AZ at arrl.net. 

Carl Foster  KB7AZ

ARRL Arizona Technical Coordinator