I Caused RFI!
Jeff Young (N8CMQ)
on
September 4, 2010
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Back in the early eighties, I got my general ticket. Quite happily, I set up my equipment and antenna, ready to start hamming it up. However, Murphy was hiding in plane sight, and hit me on my first transmission. The wife started screaming I was killing Little House and I had better stop!
Needless to say, I stopped till she went to bed, then I did a few transmissions to try and see if any neighbors noticed. Oh ya, they noticed the problem... I called the local cable company, They came out with a spectrum analyzer, my signal was pure as driven snow directly into the analyzer, but hooked up to the antenna, a 40 meter signal had noise all the way up to the limits of the analyzer, which was 600 MHz.
I removed the antenna and tried a dipole, I still had the RFI, so it was external of the antenna and coax I originally used. So the hunt was on!
I had a 2 meter hand-held I could carry and I had a friend operate the rig. I noticed the interference was strongest by the electrical meter. An electrician opened and inspected the meter box, and while he did, I ran a few checks with the rig, and still had the RFI.
I had a separate ground rod outside of my shack, and the electrician said I should tie it to the main ground at the meter. I looked the main ground rod over, and I noticed someone had added a ground wire from the TV antenna tripod, safety you understand... BUT, instead of running the aluminum wire into the ground screw hole as the power ground was, someone had wrapped it around the iron rod.
Think about it...
An aluminum wire wrapped around a RUST covered iron rod...
That is how many rectifiers are made, dissimilar metals.
Add a diode to a long wire about 60 feet long, and supply it with a strong RF field, and RFI!
When I removed the wire from the rod, and put it in the ground clamp like it was supposed to be, the RFI went away!
After I moved away, six months later I asked some of the neighbors about the interference, and I was still coming in loud and clear!!!
Once you are identified as the noise, any noise becomes your fault!
N8CMQ
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I Caused RFI!
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by KE5HTB on September 4, 2010
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Boy I can understand where this is going. I am now fighting a neighbor that swears I get into her tv. BUT when the cable company comes out and I xmit they see nothing at all on any of her tv's or there lines at all.
we tested and tested and nothing on anything in there house.
Then I learned of another ham down the street that was not even listed in the FCC database as living here in this town. and the tech went to that house and tested the lines outside cause the guy refused entry to his house or to use any test signals form his side. well they ended up testing ok and disconnected the guys TV lines cause he was linked in illegal and then they turned it over the the FCC to check the guys radio shack also and was 2 weeks later he moved but left all the antennas there. the cable company did manage to get a name of the guy so no matter what he lost his tickets and everything due to not keeping the database correct for his tickets. they found out his ticket was due and was listed in MI not TX thats for sure.
So pays to work with the testers and not cause problems but work hard to fix the problems for everyone involved.
Also now I am fighting with the power company also over power line noise and it is to the point not where I call they are here within 2 days with testers and running all over town. BUT I found out the system they are using is a drive by setup to check there poles for leaks and such and I was told it is not very good at all. the person who tols me this is a former tester helping me find my problems. he proved over and over the new system could not find problems just did basic tests and was not FCC TYPED so the results are no good anyways as it is not a accepted test equipment and approved by the FCC. so no mater what now they drive threw and say nothing found, but I am now recording the noise levels and a friend is doing a scope on my area and drives around showing his scope via a camera video and captures the spikes and locations and all making this new system look real bad for sure. only way is to document and document as much as you can to show them there is a problem and if they dont fix it then you have your ducks in a row for yourself and your lawyer to submit to the FCC if you have to.
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I Caused RFI!
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by VE3TMT on September 4, 2010
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I recently had terrible problems with interference on the HF radio from 10 MHz up to 6M. The signal would peak at 20 over S9, so it basically wiped out anything I could hear. It would cycle on and off and then totally disappear so I knew it wasn't a plasma screen. I grabbed my portable receiver and went through the neighborhood. I just happened to be listening to the noise on 20m when all of a sudden the streetlight at the end of the street went out and the noise stopped. I walked over to the pole and watched as the light started charging and the noise was building on the receiver. As soon as the light went out, the noise was gone. I called the local utility company and they had the light changed the next day. Waited for evening for the streetlights to come on but sadly the noise was still there. I guess in all the excitement I thought I had found the only source. Took another walk and found a second light on the next street over. Under the pole signal strength of the RFI was 50uV on the receiver. Another call and next day it was changed. I have not had any problems since.
Take a walk around your neighborhood with a portable receiver if you have one,. they are great for finding RFI.
As for my neighbors, I have an A3S at 32' and I also run a small amp from time to time. I have never asked if I interfere with any of them, and I have never had any of them knock on my door. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Good luck,
Max
VE3TMT
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I Caused RFI!
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by K1CJS on September 4, 2010
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I wish that people would learn how to write a sentence before they write anything on these forums. 'HTB, your run on sentence doesn't help people understand what you're trying to say.
In any event, It's always best to keep an open mind--as the author of this piece found out. Some hamd have red faces when they call out the techs--and find out that THEY'RE the ones at fault--even if it isn't their station installation causing the problem!
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by MAGNUM257 on September 4, 2010
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"by K1CJS on September 4, 2010
I wish that people would learn how to write a sentence before they write anything on these forums. 'HTB, your run on sentence doesn't help people understand what you're trying to say."
--------------------------------------------------
Fred, I understood everything! Comprehension problems maybe?
CK
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by N4UE on September 4, 2010
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Brings back memories....
I was just out of the Navy and going to college at night. One night, a neighbor in a nearby apartment called my wife to complain that my radio was interfering with her tv. My wife told the lady I was in another nearby city and in class. The lady replied "Well I don't know how he's doing it but he better stop!".. ha ha
Later, back in rural KY (in the early 80s), I had some noisy power lines near my farm. I called the local RECC and they were receptive to my polite complaints. After a couple of weeks, with no resolution, I called them back. I was surprised when the supervisor told me that a crew would come out every couple of days and could NEVER detect the slightest noise. I arranged to meet them early one afternoon. Nice guys. I asked what kind of test equipment they used. They replied "sir, we use the truck radio". You guessed it, a VHF FM radio!! ha ha
This was back when not much info was available about RFI. Both the crew and I were VERY surprised to learn that the problem was loose hardware. Hardware that has NOTHING to do with insulators or anything related to the wires carying AC. Just the rusty nuts and bolts that held the cross arm supports. At least 3 feet from the AC lines, but still in the EM field... I learned a lot!
Later when the subkect of RFI was more understood, I found out this is a very common problem. Wood shrinks, hardware rusts, presto.....RFI.
ron
N4UE
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by AC5UP on September 4, 2010
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A few years back I had a broadband noise problem that I traced to a power line transformer. Considering all utilities are buried in the subdivision it was the most likely (visible) source. With a pocket AM radio I was able to triangulate on it... Kinda'.
The local utility sent out a tech and I took him for a walk to show him what I had found. Turns out the noise source was across the street from the transformer. The occupant had strung a wire along the bottom of his wooden fence and connected same to a fence charger. The intent was to dissuade his dogs from digging under the fence. Ground was a large rusty nail, the kind you use with landscaping timbers, in a damp corner of the yard. The physical connection was about 4 wraps of fence wire with no clamp or cinch. The result was a broadband noise source that radiated better than WRNO on a good night.
Last thing I expected to find in the neighborhood was an electric fence charger as I think of them as a rural item. I couldn't get a tight fix on it as it wasn't a point source but rather something like an oblong loop maybe 60' to 80' on a side. Get near it and it was "everywhere".
Sometimes ya' gotta think outside the box..............
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by N7BUI on September 4, 2010
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Several years ago I went on an "intermod" hunt that mixed directly onto the local fire dispatch VHF channel. The mix consisted of a local pager, a fire channel from a neighboring city, and an IMTS phone transmitter. None were on the frequency being interfered with.
The cause turned out to be a rusty fire escape on the building that the paging transmitter was in. The 300 watts would get into numerous rusty area's, mix, and then be radiated by the metal. I took a field strength meter and moved it along the frame of the fire escape. The hot spots where the mixing was taking place would produce a strong indication on the meter.
Banging the spots with a hammer would make the intermod temporarily go away and tightening the bolts made more of a lasting repair.
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I Caused RFI!
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by K0IC on September 4, 2010
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Rumor has it the FCC has been to this town a time or two to check on my signal due to possible interference. Fortunately the FCC has determined the problem is not my problem.
Two bad areas, other than rusty connections, are not using 70.7 volt transformers with PA systems and not using at least 95% shielding with cable TV wire drops.
We all need to be grateful we live in a country where the FCC does their job when called.
I am toying with going more QRP operations or max 25-watts on non-scheduled transmissions. When the going gets tough on 160-meters to 40-meters, there is a place for linears but I do not use them unless needed. I like my 180-foot lazy NVIS antenna for most regional/national communications. Someday I hope to get an electronic tuner so I do not need to load on the air to match my mechanical tuners as it seems to be.
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I Caused RFI!
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by N6JSX on September 4, 2010
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I have two cases of TVI/RFI for all:
1. Cable Channels 17, 18, 19 that are on/near our 2m/VHF Police/fire spectrum. 5W can blank out channel 19 for +6 blocks. Except I was killing Lawrence Welch.
I was doing nothing wrong and all my radios were A-OK, it was the crummy cable system with cheap (economical) unshielded pole cable repeaters.
The only solution was working with the local cable company - they finally changed the channel programming making cable channels 17,18,19 the local community information bill-board channels, that no one watches.
2. Next door neighbor (100' away)bought a new VCR (w/remote)and used the VCR as the TV tuner. FCC does not require RFI shielding to VCRs like they do of TV tuners. Consequently, any HF signal >30W killed all cable signal into the VCR. But a $4.95 Radio Shack in-line coax filer solved this problem and allowed me to HAM it up to full legal power.
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by WY3X on September 4, 2010
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Yep, the author is right! Once you get blamed for a problem, it's all yours, even if you're not even home to be on the air! We had a CBer problem in my neighborhood several years back. She swore it was me driving her off her cordless phone. Then one night she got so mad, she came over right away to demand that I get off the radio immediately! Only problem was, I wasn't home! She came by a few days later and told me what had happened, and I told her who I thought it was. I guess she complained to the FCC about the guy. They (the FCC) called me up on the phone! The guy was polite as could be, sounded very "governmental", and thanked me for my assistance when the conversation was finished. I never heard another peep from the lady or the FCC. On top of that, I was getting interference from the guy on 15M, so the FCC must have paid him a visit. The interference I was getting on 15M went away quickly. -WY3X
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by N4UE on September 4, 2010
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One last comment. Although valid back in the early 80s, I doubt this would happen today. Or maybe..... it could.
Back to my farm in rural KY. 24+ acres on top of a hill. although not too high, my HAAT was ok. Especially a shot to the NE. Could see 50+ miles.
After moving in and getting setteled, I got my towers up (6M thru 432). I noticed a very loud 'buzz' at 330 degrees at all frequencies. I drove the neighborhoods (farm country) and found a few noise sources, but NOTHING like I ewas hearing on 6M.
One day, I climbed the 6M tower (beam focused on RFI) with a pair of binoculars.
Lo and behold about 4 miles away, I saw a LARGE substation. I drove to it and yes, it was horribly noisy from BCB to 70 CM. I got the name of the owner from the sign on the large fence. I called them and they said they would "check into it". Yea. right.
After a month of this, I wrote a very polite letter to the FCC explaining my problem. Within 2 days, the FCC sent me a copy of an official notice to the power company, that they had 24 hours to notify them (FCC) of the action they planned to take.
Next day, I got a call from the power utility and the engineer that was assigned to the case, turned out to be a nice, young EE who was also a ham! He was located in Virginia.
Within a couple of days, we were out at the site (which was a HUGE sub-station) and he verified that it was a horrible noise emitter.
A couple of days later, he called to tell me that the crew was going to shut the substation down and re-route the power around it, so the buss bars, etc, could be reworked. I didn't know it, but that substation provided power for millions of homes!
After the 'rework', things were quiet until I moved.
I was more than a little bit surprised and VERY thankful to all parties involved. It must have cost a LOT of $$ for that repair.....
ron
N4UE
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by KC3JV on September 5, 2010
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Who hasn't had a problem. I had a next door neighbor who insisted on Rabbit Ears for reception ( 25 years ago)in his bedroom. The FCC came out after he filed a complaint but told him that he needed more than Rabbit Ears and that my transmitter signal was clean. Another neighbor had a Grundig Stereo with speakers wired all over he house. He would hear garbled sound from his speakers and thought he had ghosts when I was on sideband. I tried to explain that the output transistors were rectifying my signal. He kept insisting it was all my fault even when I tried to explain that the long unshielded wires were acting like antennas and the transistors like crystals in a crystal set. I offered to filters on but he only told me to stay off the air. Can't win!
Mark KC2JV
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by K0BG on September 5, 2010
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We've all got an RFI story to tell. Mine was a organ over a mile away! Sometimes, you can't win for losing.
Alan, KØBG
www.k0bg.com
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I Caused RFI!
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by KF6GZX on September 5, 2010
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Never underestimate to powers of dissimilar metals. Years ago, the 2m ham repeater (for a club that I was in) would get severe input interference from an 800Mhz trunking system (that belonged to my employer and was located an the same site). We chased our tails for several months, checking everything. One of the folks that I was working with noticed a bunch of abandoned aluminum tie wires dangling from a galvanized chain-link fence. We removed them, and the interference went away! To be sure that the problem would not return, I went back later to tighten the fence hardware and apply no-ox to the spots where the tie wires contacted the fence fabric and posts.
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by N7BUI on September 5, 2010
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As a Novice while in high school our TV was an OLD B&W Philco that was inherited from my grandmother.
It had a 27Mhz IF and had an outside antenna.
The locals with normal power weren't too bad as the screen would modulate as they drove by the house. The real winner was a nutjob who was over 20 miles distant with the filthiest signal (and mouth) in the area. He could completely wipe out the screen on modulation peaks while tuned to a very strong local TV station.
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I Caused RFI!
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by KV4BL on September 6, 2010
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These are some neat and interesting experiences that some of you have had! Please allow me to add my own in hopes that someone experiencing the same thing will find the solution to their problem.
Since about 1999, I had noted an intermittent but highly annoying noise problem which would manifest itself on 75 meters. It would begin around 3870 KHz and slowly move up the band to around 3950 KHz or so. The signal was about 10-30 KHz wide and its bandwidth was subject to change, as was its frequency. It was a strong signal with a hum which was highly reminiscent of something that I used to hear on cheap AM-FM-SW receivers back in the 60's and 70's, which was usually generated by old television sets. What made it particularly annoying was that whenever this signal was present, it seemed to more often than not, cover 3915 which is a popular gathering place here in SC and also the home of the SC Single Sideband Net. The noise would wipe out all but the very strongest stations when present. While annoying, getting around to "sniffing" the source of this signal was one of those things I intended to do, but always managed to put off for another day. Thinking it was a neighbor's old TV set, I just kept hoping it would die and they would replace the TV one day and my problems would be gone. About three years ago, I had called the elderly lady who lives on one side of me one day and asked her to unplug her TV set. She thought I was crazy until I explained what I was trying to do. She unplugged it and the noise continued. At the time I had the means and the intent to buy her a new TV and trade it for the old noise generator, which I would have disposed of. Anyway, it became obvious that it was not her TV.
About a year and a half ago, I had to replace my hot water heater. I had heard stories about them generating noise and noted that while I had various parts of the house turned off at the breaker, the noise stopped when my living room receptacles were shut off. I eliminated my own TV, DVD-VCR, as I had done previously. Friends had told me that sometimes "touch" lamps could cause noise and I had one, but I had eliminated it as a source on several occasions, or so I thought. This lamp consisted of a large ceramic or like base that was painted red. It would take any regular (not 3 way) light bulb and I kept a 60 watt bulb in it. One touch would turn it on dimly, a second touch would turn it on at higher intensity, and a third touch would have it at full brightness. Of course, a fourth touch would turn it off. On more than one occasion, while the noise was present, I would turn up the volume on my hf radio and cycle the lamp through all phases. There was no difference in the sound coming through the radio so this couldn't have been the source, or so I thought.
Feeling stupid for trying but curious, I unplugged the lamp. The noise instantly went away. Plugging the lamp back in brought the noise back. After confirming this was the source, the lamp has not been plugged back in, since. I never imagined a lamp generating a signal which would vary in frequency by itself and which would not change when cycled through its various stages.
It is good to be able to enjoy 75 meters without that strong, humming, noise, which would slide up and down the band. Hard to believe I put up with that for so many years.
73,
Ray KV4BL
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by G3LBS on September 6, 2010
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It's a good idea to put our programs onto our neighbors' television sets, because American television is probably the worst in the world.
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I Caused RFI? Demand proof.
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by KA0SBL on September 6, 2010
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Of course as hams we want to help and cooperate but sometimes a situation arises where that goodwill is abused or used as a target. If you get complaints regrading RFI, have a licensed friend run your station while personally inspecting the 'victims' equipment. If there is no problem found, and this happens more than twice, politely insist the only way you can help them is for them to record the interference for analyses.
This technique clears up many problems and misunderstandings.
:)
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by N8CMQ on September 6, 2010
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I don't understand your skepticism.
Look at the RFI forum, read the many ham mags, and talk to club members. Many have had RFI problems from or to their station, and many have had to reduce activity or power to try and reduce the interference. And when a ham has interference from power companies or cable systems, many times we need to call the FCC for help, yet we get hit with law suits over it...
If you don't have a problem, good! but if you ever need help tracking down a problem, know there are many hams that know how to trouble-shoot such problems, and are willing to help with no renumeration expected!
My experience led me into a field which was quite educational. The local club repeater used to have an intermod problem, it was found that the airport VOR station was the problem! Changing the repeater frequency 5Khz solved the problem... Today, we have such a plethora of electronics, many not shielded, including cars that come with warnings not to install transmitters, so interference continues to be a problem!
Just don't dismiss other peoples problems...
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by K8DA on September 6, 2010
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I was once accused by local police of interfering on their bands. A local ham who happens to be a Captain on the police force knocked on my door late one night and said another ham thought he recognized an X in a CW signing. My call used to be K8XAF and was the only ham in the area with an X in their call sign. He said the CW was too fast for him to copy - right then I knew it wasn't me. I operate mostly CW but showed him my log book which proved I wasn't on the air at any time they had the RFI. He said he believed me. Never the less, I stayed off the air for a couple of months because of his late night visit.
When I called him finally, I asked him if they were still receiving RFI, he said they had found the problem but he wouldn't tell me what it was. In any event I felt somewhat vindicated after that.
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by K4KYV on September 7, 2010
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"He said he believed me. Never the less, I stayed off the air for a couple of months because of his late night visit."
I would not have stayed off the air. In RFI cases when you KNOW your signal is clean, the best policy is to CO-OPERATE, but OPERATE.
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by W0FM on September 7, 2010
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K8DA said "I was once accused by local police of interfering on their bands. A local ham who happens to be a Captain on the police force knocked on my door late one night and said another ham thought he recognized an X in a CW signing. "
Back in the 70's I installed a new business band base station for very small rural ready-mix company who's previous base station was a very old boatanchor.
About three days later the owner called to say they were getting some "short wave interference" on their new base. I went to investigate. Sure enough...after some time it suddenly appeared....the automatic Morse Code Callsign ID'er option that I had ordered with the station was working perfectly! ;o)
Terry, WØFM
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by N8CMQ on September 7, 2010
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Gotta love those auto cw ID's...
Not the first time I have heard of that being complained!
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Source of RFI IKEA
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by W8JN on September 8, 2010
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Short and to the point. I turned on the ftdx9000d and there was earsplitting +40 noise front to back top to bottom everywhere and my nice new rig was useless.
i started turning off stuff in the house one at a time and discovered the lights I purchased from IKEA with the ac to dc rectifiers were horrible. The unit was the dirtiest incidental transmitter I have ever seen. Shut it off and the noise vanished!
73 Paul w8jn
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RE: Source of RFI IKEA
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by KF7CG on September 8, 2010
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I am willing to swear that this is not made up!
I managed to cure a bad case of RFI to the neighbors telephone by keeping a section of my lawn well watered. In the rural area where our new homes had been built the phone lines were run to the houses "underground." Well if that is what you call 6" or less of dry soil. The individual drops were about 150' and ran right through the near field of my antenna. Watering the ground provided just enough additional sheilding to stop the interference.
Luckily the neighbor was just far enough away that his in home wiring didn't pickup enough to cause trouble. The in home wiring was done with the cheap DIY grade flat four wire phone cable and was not good at resisting the ingress of RFI; I had filters at all my phones. The houses had wood fiber siding and fiberglass insulation that did not have foil backing so all the wiring of the houses in the area was hanging out as antennas.
RFI, if you haven't experienced it; you will.
KF7CG
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by KJ4KKI on September 9, 2010
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I couldn't agree more about the comment made by K1CJS regarding long sentence chains. I know that everyone mis-spells a word now and then. But I have seen sentences go halfway down the entire article, with no punctuation or capitalization, etc. Combined with multiple words that are spelled wrong, it's frustrating to read.
But, what is much worse, is when hams degrade other hams who ask a simple question or make a comment. I read a forum post yesterday, where a ham made an honest mistake and wrote about it, and asked if there was a way to make it right. He got "talked" to like he was the perverbial "yesterday's trash."
I might disagree with you, but I refuse to write in such a manner to insult a fellow ham--unless he is being an ass. We are all here as what I joke about as "RF Brothers," and are here to support each other in this wonderful hobby/obsession. At least that's my continuation of the comment on long sentence chains. 73, Steve
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by N8CMQ on September 10, 2010
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Guess we amateurs should stop writing about our experiences as we are not experts in writing...
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by KD5XB on September 11, 2010
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Many years ago, I hung a dipole with the intent of connecting the coax and finishing the installation the next weekend. Would you believe I was accused of causing RFI when the darned dipole wasn't even connected, just hanging between the trees!
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by KC8OYE on September 11, 2010
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Been There.. Done that!! Bought the T-shirt!!!
i put my old 1/4 wave CB Whip on the side of my mobile home as scanner/weather radio antennas as my house had steel siding and acted like a farraday cage.. I couldn't even hear the NOAA broadcast on 163.475mhz..
I had the antenna connected to a SCANNER.. not a transmitter.. and within a few days I was accused of tearing up the neighbors tv signal...
after politely pointing out that I didn't transmit through that antenna the lady went soft of quiet and wandered away.. *shrug*
seeing as that I used commerical gear at the time (motorola MaxTrac GM300 @25w) I really doubt my signal was the cause of her problems as I didn't often sit in my car and QSO ;)
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by KG6MZS on September 13, 2010
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People are inordinately afraid of things they cannot see - all forms of radiation, germs, etc.
I guess that is understandable.
I think one of the worst offenders when it comes to being susceptible to RFI are cheap powered computer speakers.
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I Caused RFI!
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by N4HRA on September 13, 2010
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Back when I was a teenager and into CB radio at the time, on a Sunday morning I went to church to pick-up my sister. While waiting for her to come out I picked up the mike and started to xmit BREAKER BREAKER, unknown to me this was during Holy Communion and needless to say I came through the organ speakers. My sister told every I did it. The minister told my folks that if I had said I had said THIS IS GOD repent he said that he would have a church of believers
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RE: I Caused RFI!
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by K8EUR on September 14, 2010
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My father (K8HRS) died in 1970, and my mother continued to receive harrassing TVI and RFI phone calls for years - until everyone finally understood he was dead.
She dreaded the summer months when sporadic E propagation caused VHF co-channel interference to appear on TV sets in the neighborhood - and the phone would start to ring!
Cable - and now digital TV - came too late to help.
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RE: I Caused RFI!
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by KJ4DAQ on September 19, 2010
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I created RFI unknowingly. Because of that I was getting interference almost in the entire HF band. I toook my portable shortwave radio and walking around my community and found that it was from my house. I was wondering and started to switch off every electrical/electronics equipment one by one. At last I switched of my PC and still RFI was there. Later I remembered about the new external harddrive which was pluged to my PC and hidden away by all wires. Unplugged it from wall power outlet and the RFI vanished. It was the power supply SMPS adapter creating the RFI. Discontinued the usage of the hardrive as RFI was so powerfull it was experienced for more than 500 feet radious. If the interference is from your home think what was changed/purchased/modified recently and you catch the root cause of the RFI.
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RE: I Caused RFI!
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by W8JWA on September 20, 2010
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You should check your own Grammar before you chastise others,i.e;Hamd for Hams?
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I Caused RFI!
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by NS9S on September 25, 2010
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Watch out for neighbors with expensive audio systems and large living rooms. They'll run audio cable from their preamp under the carpeting to their power amp speakers at the other end of the room. When you key down or hit the mike button, the audio cable acts as an antenna and the speaker amps decode your signal. The solution is simple, The proper toroids at the point where the cable inserts into the speakers, and a few twists of the audio cable under the rug.
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I Caused RFI!
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by WB2GMK on September 28, 2010
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Great story. Reminds me of the one that goes around on e-mails about the poor dog tied to the telephone ground who moaned and peed every time the phone rang.
Well, with everyone on fiber optic cable here in my neighborhood, TVI is a non-issue, but, some of the locals wanted to put a 440 repeater on my QTH since I am, at 140 ft above sea level, one of the highest points around in this part of Tampa (Florida is a flat state). So they wound up guying the antenna pole with yellow lemon line. The neighbors kept asking my XYL what was the deal with all those yellow ropes. God bless her, she supports me in this hobby, she told them I was involved with some kind of emergency communications and I was connected to Homeland Security! What a gal! No wonder I love her. The neighbors were happy with that explanation. After a year or so I got the locals to change the guy ropes to black UV-resistent cord, and now you can't see it. I'm old and have arthritus in my knees and couldn't do it myself. But for a while, I was a G-man! Thank you, XYL!
73
WB2GMK
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RFI with a hitch!
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by K7FD on October 10, 2010
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I caused interference to the gal up the street. She came down to complain. We ended up getting married. Case closed.
73 John K7FD
88 Annette N7SG
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