[SFDXA] Pot growers’ lights interfering with ham radio chats

[Kai]

Tom's comprehensive QST article on "Locating HF interference" is scheduled for 
the November 2014 issue of QST.
73
Kai, KE4PT


On 6/7/2014 9:11 AM, Bill wrote:
> Thanks to QRZ:
> Bill W2CQ
>
>
> BOULDER – A few years ago, retired electrical engineer Tom Thompson noticed it 
> was getting harder and harder to hear his friends across the country talking 
> to him on their ham radio sets.
>
> So Thompson built a portable antenna system he could use to walk his 
> neighborhood and track down whatever was interfering with his radio 
> transmission. The culprit? Marijuana grow operations, where powerful grow 
> lights can emit interference blocking radio broadcasts on the ham and AM 
> spectrums.
>
> The first grower he encountered wasn’t pleased to know Thompson, now 73, could 
> tell exactly what was going on.
>
> “He said, ‘What are you going to do, call the cops?’” Thompson said. “And I 
> said, well no, it’s a federal matter.”
>
> With 22 states and the District of Columbia allowing medical marijuana, and 
> Colorado and Washington permitting recreational use, there’s been an explosion 
> in the number of people growing their own pot, much of it indoors.
>
> With that growth has come increasing interference from the grow lights, which 
> suck down huge amounts of electricity to shine upon budding marijuana plants. 
> Growing pot indoors is usually more secure and gives the grower more control 
> over light, water and insects, which results in higher-quality plants 
> commanding a premium price.
>
> The interference problems from one type of system have gotten so bad that the 
> amateur radio association, ARRL, filed a formal federal complaint on behalf of 
> the country's 720,000 licensed ham operators. The problems are worst in 
> Colorado and California, said Sean Kutzko, an ARRL spokesman.
>
> The interference is caused by what are known as “ballasts,” electronic systems 
> controlling the grow lights. Unless they’re properly shielded, the ballasts 
> can throw off a wide range of interference. For ham radio operators in the 
> area, it’s like trying to have a conversation during an intense thunderstorm.
>
> “We’re not concerned about what people are using the grow lights for,” Kutzko 
> said. “But we’re seeing numerous cases ... and that’s causing us a problem. We 
> just want to make sure the manufacturers are in compliance with FCC laws.”
>
> The Federal Communications Commission has the power to regulate anything that 
> interferes with licensed radio transmissions, such as ham sets, but also 
> cellphones and AM radios. It often sends letters to people suspected of 
> causing interference, and also can send agents out to knock on doors, Kutzko 
> said.
>
> In a statement, FCC spokeswoman Kim Hart said she couldn’t address the 
> specific complaint filed by AARL, but said the FCC is aware of the problems 
> caused by certain grow lights. Thompson said he’s also tracked down 
> interference from traditional halogen lamps and even a neighbor's camcorder.
>
> Thompson said he recognizes that federal regulators probably have better 
> things to do than force marijuana growers to change their lights, so he found 
> his own solution: He created a $20 cable shield he gives out to anyone whose 
> operation is interfering with his radio.
>
> “If I can track this down, anybody can track this down,” he said. “If I listen 
> long enough, I can tell when they turn the lights off ... you can tell exactly 
> when the harvest is.”
>
> http://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/local/2014/06/05/pot-growers-lights-interfering-ham-radio-chats/10015757/ 
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> South Florida DX Assoc.
> SFDXA WebSite: http://www.SFDXA.com
> SFDXA Repeater 147.33+ 103.5 Tone
> To Post: mailto:SFDXA at mailman.qth.net
> To UNSUBSCRIBE or Subscribe:
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/sfdxa
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>