Re: [Elecraft] K3 noise blanker sure does the job.
You can try switching off a suspected street lamp by beaming its photocell with a laser pointer. The photocell is located on top of the lamp housing. It is directional, usually oriented toward the north (but not always) so you would have to spot it with the laser from this particular direction. You could go around the neighborhood with a portable radio and a laser pointer, trying each lamp. Or set up a recorder at your rig, tuned to WWV time signals, and log the times when you switch off particular streetlamps. Having a tripod for the laser pointer might help. A green laser will make a nice beam which you can see, not just a spot. How you explain your activities to the cops when they pick you up is another story... 73, Drew AF2Z On Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:11:23 -0700, Brett Howard wrote: ?I've got a HUGE problem in my area too. It only comes on at night (not all nights though) and its periodic. Like a lil over a minute on and then 40 something seconds off and it goes on and off like that all night. It generally comes on shortly after the street lamps do. A talk with the power company results in a guy calling back saying he was in the area and couldn't hear anything. Well no doubt you weren't there when the noise is. And he says that if its the street lamps they have no jurisdiction I have to speak with the city. Unfortunately I have no real way to tell what light it is. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 noise blanker sure does the job.
I've noticed the same. Since local noise that I can't cure (yeah, I could write to the FCC, but I'm not supposed to have antennas anyway, so they could just write tol the HOA) is my biggest problem, I want a rig that will help me work through it. I still have a lot of side by side testing to do with the K3 and the FT-2000D, but my initial review has really gone to the K3. 73 de Joseph Durnal NE3R On Mon, Jun 23, 2008 at 8:41 AM, Kenneth A. Christiansen [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I ordered my K3 in June of 2007 after a strong local noise level started at my Fargo ND QTH. (That was the factor that convinced me I needed a K3). The noise went away for a few months about the time I got my K3 so while I was pleased with how the K3 took care of the normal noise of the city I did not know how it would work if the noise came back. Last night I was working the Elecraft net on 20 meters and KD5ONS was coming in about S7 and about the best copy I have had on him in months. I turned on my IC-746PRO on 2 meters to check into the local 2 meter net and noticed the S meter sat at S9. I switched to AM and sure enough the bad line noise was back. I turned off the NB on the K3 and sure enough I could barely tell KD5ONS was in there as the S meter jumped to S8 and Kevin was only S7. I was running the K3 with PRE ON, ATT OFF, DSP E3-4, IF MED3 and the default width of 400 HZ with the 500 HZ roofing filter. With the NB ON the S meter would drop to S1 when there was a break in the action and I was copying stations down to S1 with no way to know there was any noise in the area. I sure made the right decision to buy the K3 as this noise problem was here all last summer and the K2 and 746 just could not do anything about it. I have an MFJ-852 noise meter and thought the noise was from my own house but pulling all the AC fuses to the house and and running the rig on a battery showed no change. There are 8 of us on the transformer which is in my back yard so it could be coming from any one of my neighbors. At least I don't have to deal with it this year due to the fact the K3 does such a good job of getting rid of the noise. The 746 on 2 meters FM can only pick up the strongest stations when the noise is there and they have lots of noise on them unless the strength is over S9. This morning the noise is gone but that is the way it was last year too. I never figured out a pattern to the noise as some times it would come on for a few seconds and other times it would come on for hours at a time. 73 Ken W0CZ ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 noise blanker sure does the job.
Ken Kopp wrote: Hi Ken, I used to be the line noise tech for my power company employer ... Touch lamps are a seldom-thought-of source of line noise. Wall-warts, too. Walwarts of the future will most likely be a real pain. I understand some legislation has required all of them to be switching in the near future. 73 de Brian/K3KO ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 noise blanker sure does the job.
Brian Alsop wrote: Walwarts of the future will most likely be a real pain. I understand some legislation has required all of them to be switching in the near future. I have a small halogen lamp which has a walwart that can be used as a noise generator for adjusting the filters in my K2. It produces a wideband hash that is perfect for this purpose. It is very loud in most of the HF spectrum. I have never heard a switcher make a noise like this; usually they make burbles, floaters, and digital tinkles. Speaking of switchers, I once had an IC751 with a built-in AC supply, a switcher which was mounted in a flat shielded box on the bottom of the radio. There was a tinkling noise audible on all bands which drove me crazy. This was some years ago, and it didn't occur to me that it might be the power supply. I actually sent the radio to ICOM, and they 'fixed' several things but the noise remained. Although I know switchers can be quiet -- especially when you are careful to use baluns, etc. on antennas to reduce local noise pickup -- I prefer an old heavy Astron linear supply in my shack. -- 73, Vic, K2VCO Fresno CA http://www.qsl.net/k2vco K2 no. 709 K3 no. 7 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 noise blanker sure does the job.
They are only required to be so in California so far. On Mon, 2008-06-23 at 15:11 +, Brian Alsop wrote: Ken Kopp wrote: Hi Ken, I used to be the line noise tech for my power company employer ... Touch lamps are a seldom-thought-of source of line noise. Wall-warts, too. Walwarts of the future will most likely be a real pain. I understand some legislation has required all of them to be switching in the near future. 73 de Brian/K3KO ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 noise blanker sure does the job.
I've got a HUGE problem in my area too. It only comes on at night (not all nights though) and its periodic. Like a lil over a minute on and then 40 something seconds off and it goes on and off like that all night. It generally comes on shortly after the street lamps do. A talk with the power company results in a guy calling back saying he was in the area and couldn't hear anything. Well no doubt you weren't there when the noise is. And he says that if its the street lamps they have no jurisdiction I have to speak with the city. Unfortunately I have no real way to tell what light it is. On Mon, 2008-06-23 at 13:51 +, Ken Kopp wrote: Hi Ken, I used to be the line noise tech for my power company employer ... Touch lamps are a seldom-thought-of source of line noise. Wall-warts, too. 73! Ken Kopp - K0PP ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 noise blanker sure does the job.
Brett - I used to have the same problem with the street lights in my neighborhood. After about three years of service, high pressure sodium lamps start to cycle on and off. Every time they start up, they generate noise. I walk at night and in the winter I could see the lamps cycle. I would make a note of the address, and then email the information to the power company. It is important to be specific with information as the line service crew that gets the trouble slip will come out in the daylight and won't be able to see the problem. Our streetlights are serviced by the power company through a contract with the City. In your area, you may have to contact the City. Street lights should be maintained on a 3 year cycle but maintenance gets deferred due to budget considerations. Don't expect prompt response. This is low priority work. 73 Rick Dettinger K7MW On Jun 23, 2008, at 9:11 AM, Brett Howard wrote: I've got a HUGE problem in my area too. It only comes on at night (not all nights though) and its periodic. Like a lil over a minute on and then 40 something seconds off and it goes on and off like that all night. It generally comes on shortly after the street lamps do. A talk with the power company results in a guy calling back saying he was in the area and couldn't hear anything. Well no doubt you weren't there when the noise is. And he says that if its the street lamps they have no jurisdiction I have to speak with the city. Unfortunately I have no real way to tell what light it is. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] K3 noise blanker sure does the job.
Wall-warts, too. Walwarts of the future will most likely be a real pain. I understand some legislation has required all of them to be switching in the near future. 73 de Brian/K3KO -- I was very frustrated with a switcher wall wart that created huge amounts of hash across 80 meters even though it's no where near the rig or antenna, until I tried grounding the case of the equipment it powers. Silence. Beautiful silence. The wall wart has faded into radio invisibility. Floating grounds and the like can make a huge difference. Ron AC7AC ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
