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Power Line Interference.

Sep 23rd 2011, 01:07

KM3F

Joined: Mar 6th 2008, 13:50
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
For the second time is several years, I had experinced power line interference on 6 and 2 meters.
My high gain 12 element beam on 2m pointed to the direction, being on a side hill looking out over a valley.
My power company usually takes about 2 week to respond and did so this time.
I have a contact and called him so he could hear it over the telephone.
A few days later the noise has been cleared as it was the last time.
Now if I can get the cable company to find their leakage on 145.250 channel 18 video carrier, all will be good. Again coming from a specific direction.
Sep 23rd 2011, 11:11

W1VT

Super Moderator

Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0

You might be able to pinpoint the cable leak by using a portable 2M receiver to triangulate the signal.

Or, you could just wait for the cable company to convert to digital--when that happens there will be no analog video carriers.

It will happen--by converting to digital they will cut down on piracy--all those illegal taps will be worthless.

An example
http://www.sunjournal.com/sun-spots/story/1089521
All customers, even those with Basic programming, will need either a digital adapter or a set-top box to continue receiving their channels. The only exception is those with a newer TV with a built-in QAM tuner; that TV will continue to receive the Basic channel lineup without an adapter or set top box.


Zack Lau W1VT
ARRL Senior Lab Engineer

Sep 24th 2011, 19:25

KM3F

Joined: Mar 6th 2008, 13:50
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
There are two cable companies in the area.
I could ID which one by program content by listening on 143.75 sound carrier, to ID whose cable system has the leakage.
In contact with the company I registered the complaint with, they had just recently took delivery of a vehichle and equipment to detect their cable leakage.
I gave them the area to begin looking in so they will have a large area to sweep. I'm sure they will find many leakage sources if my mobile radio responses on 145.250 is any indication as I drive through the same area.
Dec 17th 2011, 05:25

N5RMS

Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
How much line noise is acceptable? I have a tower with 3 ele 20 meter beam 80- ft from a 14 kv power line. With the beam pointed towards the powerline, i get s7 to s9 noise, pointed away from powerline s2 to s3.

73
N5RMS
Mar 10th 2012, 14:47

K1SRR

Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
Here in southern NH, an area serviced by PSNH, I had power line noise from 160Mtrs through UHF since the ice storm in 2008. I tried getting it repaired a year ago, but my complaint was "lost". This year I tried again. Result?: within three weeks they had repaired all noise sources as well as worked on 28 more poles to prevent future recurrance. The problem was that during the ice storm many out of state companies worked to restore power (14 days). Some used insulated wires on the 19KV lines, and un-insulatged tie-wires to secure those feeds to the insulators. With time, those uninsulated wires wore through most of the insulation and pin-hole paths for arcing began. I had trouble believing that a 3' length of wire could develop enough potential to do this, but I saw the burnt wires myself. Call the power company, offer to help narrow the possible sources, and from my experience you will see results.
May 11th 2012, 00:47

N9AAT

Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
If you can get someone else to report the power line noise, it will help. Power companies typically want happy customers and will go out of your way to help. I've seen them pay for water trucks to come out and wash salt off insulators (near the coast of course).

Cable companies are problematic because most of them use local contractors or low-bidder companies who often have no clue how to solve such problems. I'm thinking also that you'll just have to wait for them to go digital.

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