RadioBanter - View Single Post

March 21st 04, 08:09 PM

On Sun, 21 Mar 2004 18:09:08 GMT, (Rick ) wrote:

I am trying to locate the source of power line noise in my
neighborhood. I drove around with a 10 meter am receiver with a base
loaded vertical on the car and found the noise source is hard to
pinpoint.

Hi Rick,

Your antenna is too big. It is listening to the world and the
neighborhood is made too small for your efforts. Shield it, or as
noted in another thread, attenuate the signal (at the antenna) until
you can barely hear it, then drive closer until you can hear it better
and attenuate it some more. Instead, if it drops out, the source is
just behind you.

Possibly this is because the noise is being conducted along
the power line?

This would be consistent with electric fences arcing at the low wire
into new, spring growth. The loops around a field often have the
habit of being resonant in our bands.

What is the best way to locate the source.
I am assuming if I can tell the power company that I am certain of the
pole (cracked insulator ?) that is causing the problem I stand a
better chance of getting action.
A related question - IF I was to find the pole where the noise
originates is there any chance of being able to actually see arcing
occurring?

Probably not, otherwise you would see the crowd watching it first and
you wouldn't need all the DF equipment.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC