ARRL
Headquarters to Host Power-Line Interference Workshop
 The clear-plastic parabola is an "ear" connected to an
ultrasonic detector that lets utility personnel listen to a power-line arc. |
 The Yagi is connected to an AM or SSB receiver to listen
for potential noise sources on VHF--where the antenna directivity gives some
indication of the direction of the noise source. |
NEWINGTON, CT, Jun 13, 2002--The ARRL will
host a workshop on power-line interference conducted by Mike Martin, K3RFI, of
RFI Services of Maryland. The two-day workshop will be held August 22-23 at
ARRL Headquarters. This course is intended for utility professionals who are
responsible for locating and dealing with power-line related interference
issues.
"ARRL is
providing a site for this workshop to show that by working with the utility
industry, with communication and training, electrical noise problems can be
fixed," says ARRL Lab Supervisor Ed Hare, W1RFI, who will be among those taking
the class. "In many cases, utility staff are spending hours and days
troubleshooting problems that, with the correct equipment and training, can be
found in a matter of minutes."
The course includes hands-on field work and
specific instruction on finding and fixing the noises that can plague Amateur
Radio operators and other radio spectrum users. Techniques taught show
participants how to quickly determine specific system hardware that is the
source of the noise.
Hare says he believes the course is well
worth the $800 tuition fee in terms of saving a utility a lot of time, money
and frustration trying to locate power-line noise to comply with FCC rules.
"Many of
the cases the ARRL has referred to FCC Special Counsel for Enforcement Riley
Hollingsworth under ARRL's cooperative relationship with the FCC would never
have had to go that far if the utility people involved knew how to locate noise
efficiently," Hare said, adding that he expects to "learn a few new tricks"
himself.
For amateurs who work in the utility industry, this course has the
added benefit of being held at ARRL Headquarters and having a chance to operate
W1AW (be sure to bring a copy of your license if you want to operate) and to
learn something that will greatly benefit ham radio and utilities alike. For
more information or a workshop application, visit the K3RFI Web site.
Page last modified: 09:42 AM, 13 Jun 2002 ET
Page author: awextra@arrl.org
Copyright © 2002, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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