On 05/22/2010 01:40 PM, Bill M wrote:
Bill Baka wrote:

With my scope synced to 60 Hz I can see two big spikes and lots of
little ones that take a while to settle down.
Thanks for the reply,
Bill Baka

What sort of antenna are you using? You might be able to configure
something, although I'm not exactly sure what, that can provide more
directivity and maybe escape from some of the junk noise.

I have a sort of long wire, 25 feet, and the other side is grounded to a
chain link fence. There is not enough room to put up much else unless I
run a wire to the house behind me. Yup, two rental houses on one lot.
My stepdaughter lives in the back and I don't even know if she could
figure out the concept of radio DX noise. She is a cable TV addict and
not at all inclined to radio. I do have a radio direction finder that I
can run with a solar cell I picked up, so I can walk it around in the
sun and try to find the major noise source that way. When I scoped it,
it looked like a lot of SCR's triggering at various points so I kind of
figure it may be SCR light dimmers.

Don't just write it off because of the all the Chinese crap thats out
there. A problem crept up here once, right about Christmastime, where I
got a steady rhythmic buzz a couple of times per second. Figured it was
a neighbors Christmas lights or something. Switched off all my breakers
and it persisted. Could hear it several hundred feet away from my house
on a portable radio. It was everywhere, impossible to null or peak.

But it persisted for months AFTER Christmas. Then a main breaker to my
house (in the panel out front with the meter) crapped out and had to be
replaced. Guess what? No more noise!

Nah, my breakers are good. I have a touch lamp with an SCR in it
(Chinese, of course) and it makes noise even when turned off. Louder
when it is on. It does seem to be from other houses.

So there I was putting up with the noise and blaming neighbors and Red
China and the problem was something so simple - just difficult to localize.

Just food for thought.

Good luck,

Bill M

I think I will get my RDF and go hunting tomorrow.
Thanks,
Bill Baka