Checking a potential new residence for RFI

[KT0DD]

Hello, I am temporarily in an HOA situation. I will be looking to move in the early spring to a home where I can set up my rigs.

Is there a convenient way to walk around a new residence and check the noise level / interference potential, say with an AM / shortwave rig? How accurate will it be? I know things may come and go in the neighborhood at different times, and I don't have an HF mobile at present. It would be inconvenient to set up a portable HF rig to just look at new homes. Any suggestions?

73. Todd - KT0DD

[WX7G]

I think that is a good plan. You may want a point of reference and that can be obtained by using the receiver well away from houses and power lines. This is best done shortly before going to the potential new QTH to compare noise levels.

[NK7Z]

Hello, I am temporarily in an HOA situation. I will be looking to move in the early spring to a home where I can set up my rigs.

Is there a convenient way to walk around a new residence and check the noise level / interference potential, say with an AM / shortwave rig? How accurate will it be? I know things may come and go in the neighborhood at different times, and I don't have an HF mobile at present. It would be inconvenient to set up a portable HF rig to just look at new homes. Any suggestions?

73. Todd - KT0DD

Make sure you check at around 11 PM...  Or at least well into the dark hours...  Listen on all bands...  See if you can get a local with a mobile rig to drive you around...  If you can get a rig in the area, run S-Meter Lite for a day or so...  The Realtor should be able to allow that.

[WB4BYQ]

having moved from a close pack neighborhood, checking the RFI level at nigh is a good idea, also check the area several nights.  But, I would also look at the power system in the area, how is the triplex that feeds the homes hung from the pole.  is there several houses on the same transformer, is the house you like on the same feed.  is the power underground,  how close are the homes, look for campers, boats, fun carts, etc,  all of these where in my previous neighborhood and caused RFI from 160 to 10 meters, i was not using 6 meters.  the RFI that is generated by these devices is radiated from the power line in the house out to the power transformer / triplex that feeds the home.  my suggestion is to look for a home with some distance
between you and the next home.  put some distance between you and them, like maybe a acre or more.  i had thought that all the RFI problems that i had in the neighborhood had been solved until the night of Tuesday after thanksgiving, when i came home from teaching ham radio class, i sat down to listen to the 75 meter nets, when i heard the worst RFI not only on 75 but 160 40 30 15 12 10 meters.  i was floored.  i when out side with my handheld SW receiver and found it coming from the neighbor next door, only 25 feet away.  it was a Samsung 50 inch plasma TV.
just because the neighbor is quite when you buy, you never know what the next person is going to buy on black Friday. i was building a house on 5 acres so i had to put up the TV for 4 months.  my suggestion to you is look real hard, buy some land with space to separate out.

Richard

[KF7BBJ]

Sometimes too remote of a location isn't good either.  I live in the boonies and everyone here uses wireless internet.  I have birdies everywhere.  I think the source of the birdies are from those wireless internet repeaters

73,
Jonathan W6GX