On Mar 9, 12:26?pm, "Ed Hare, W1RFI" wrote:

The problem is generally caused by defective hardware on the poles,
from loose hardware to defective insulators (actually pretty rare.)

Hello Ed,

On my early-moring runs I've come across more than one pole that was
clearly a noise source. In the damp morning air just before dawn, you
can hear and sometimes see the arcing. PECO is pretty good about
fixing such things
because they often prevent a failure. But simple visual and
audible observations won't find all problems.

One caution: I have occasionally heard hams speak of
finding noise sources by climbing poles, or whacking them
with a sledgehammer to shake the loose hardware.

*DON'T DO IT!*

Besides being illegal, it's dangerous. And it won't
make utilities any more likely to fix RFI troubles.

---

Some may ask why the utilities don't just bury
all the wires. Four reasons:

1) The intitial construction cost is higher, as are any
changes in the future.

2) Finding and fixing problems can be a lot harder.

3) The utility has to deal with things like flooding of
underground facilities, people digging up high
voltage lines unintentionally, and rodents.

4) The transmission losses in buried power cables
are higher, meaning more energy is wasted.

73 de Jim, N2EY