Thread: noise antenna?
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Old July 8th 07, 06:50 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.antenna
Dave Platt Dave Platt is offline
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First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 464
Default noise antenna?

Obviously i need to hunt around for the noise whats the best way to
track this down unf i don't have a spectrum analyzer


See if the noise is present on a portable AM broadcast-band radio, if
you tune the radio between stations. If so, you'll probably find that
it's fairly directional - the loopstick antenna in a portable radio
has reasonably deep nulls - and you can take bearings.

MFJ sells a noise-hunting receiver, which uses a pair of telescoping
whip antennas, and (if I recall correctly) an AM receiver tuned to the
aircraft band at around 130 MHz.

any tips appreciated because i can't realy use the lowbands anymore
really annoying


The first thing to do is determine whether the noise source is within
your house or not. Easiest way to do this is to run your radio from a
battery, and turn off the house's main circuit breaker. If the noise
goes away, the source is local... if not, it's outside the house.

What you're describing certainly sounds like the result of an
electrical arc or switching of some sort. Some household devices
which have been shown to cause this sort of intermittent noise have
been things like electric-fence energizing systems, 12- and 24-volt
battery chargers (solar or line-powered), fish-tank heaters, and even
electric blankets.

Industrial systems like electrical welders can do it, too.

Another not-uncommon source is street lighting systems. Sodium- and
mercury-vapor high intensity light systems can generate a lot of
noise, especially if there are loose or corroded connections in their
wiring or (I believe) if the bulbs are failing and the lights are
cycling on and off. If you can track the noise with a portable AM
radio, see if you can find a street or parking-lot lamp which is
cycling on and off in synchronization with the noise.

--
Dave Platt AE6EO
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