 Mike Martin, K3RFI, teaches the basics of tracking down power line noise. [ARRL Photos] |
 This antenna on a van specially equipped by Martin makes tracking down power line noise a bit easier. |
 Some of the RFI "sniffing" gear inside the van. |
 Mike Martin, K3RFI, makes a point over pizza with one of the RFI seminar participants. |
 The FCC's Riley Hollingsworth (right) and another seminar participant check out some of the gear that's used to pinpoint power line noise in the field. |
NEWINGTON, CT, Aug 27, 2002--A two-day workshop at ARRL Headquarters on power-line interference turned out to be a great success on more than one level. The August 22-23 session, conducted by Mike Martin, K3RFI, of RFI Services of Maryland, not only attracted a better-than-average turnout, but participants were able to track down at least some of the sources of power line noise affecting W1AW. Most of those attending the session were involved with locating and dealing with power-line related interference issues.
"We're starting to get their attention," ARRL Lab Supervisor Ed Hare, W1RFI, said of the power companies. By hosting the workshop, the ARRL hoped to assist hams as well as the power companies to combat this longstanding problem. The course included hands-on field work and specific instruction on finding and fixing the noises that can plague Amateur Radio operators and other radio spectrum users. Participants went away with techniques on how to quickly determine which specific system hardware that is the source of the noise.
The FCC recently began taking a harder line toward alleged Part 15 violations involving power line interference to Amateur Radio operators. Martin's workshops are aimed at helping anyone involved with the electric power industry to find sources of power line noise--occasionally an ongoing and vexing concern for hams--and to help them to understand their obligations under FCC rules.
Among the 20 attendees were FCC Special Counsel for Enforcement Riley Hollingsworth, two members of the US armed forces, a communications specialist, several members of the ARRL Headquarters staff and several power company employees. “The RFI workshop was excellent and led to a much better rapport between the power companies and amateurs,” Hollingsworth remarked. “Since RFI problems are often an early warning of an outage or danger to persons on the ground, it is important that the power companies respond. Power line interference can degrade the Amateur Service and must be dealt with.”
The first day's class discussed the causes of power-line noise, some of the less well-known things to watch for and noise-locating techniques. On the second day, the whole group took to the field for some practical experience. Loading themselves into a fully equipped noise-locating van, the students went out to see if they could find the sources of noise that has been causing interference at W1AW for more than three years. It took the group less than an hour to find the two noise sources. Now that they have been identified, local power supplier Northeast Utilities will be notified and asked to correct the problem.
ARRL
Electromagnetic Compatibility Specialist John Phillips, K2QAI, said
participants' comments were uniformly positive. "It is our hope that as more
people become aware of how easy it is to locate and fix most sources of
power-line noise," Phillips said, "more power companies will take
responsibility for solving the problems expeditiously."
 Previous: ARRL Members Dig Deeply to Defend Frequencies |  Next: Amateurs' Non-Stop Fire Duty Does Section Manager Proud |