"Maximus" wrote in message
link.net...
Quoting "Tommyknocker" :

Speaking of the tropical bands, I haven't been able to get much on them
lately. I'm hearing a loud buzz all across the lower freqs, but I can't
seem to narrow down where it's coming from.

I hear that @#$% noise up here in Washington state too, and don't know
what
it is. I'd love to know what it is - anybody know definitively what it is
?

Sounds like a classic case of power line insulator leakage.

Power line insulators sometimes develop micro-cracks in which
dust and dirt settle. In cold dry weather, these cracks
provide a dry leakage path for an arc, usually to the metal
frame or supports for/within the insulator. (we are talking about
a tiny near-continous arc here, not a flashover) The result
is a pesky noise that may be on an insulator located as much
as 1/4 mile away, but will still give you an S5 to S7 white-noise
which will ruin all your SWL and Ham'ing.

The way to know for sure is to wait for a good rainy day.
If the noise goes away when the poles, lines and insulators
are wet with rain, then it's a good bet you have a leaking
insulator someplace in the vicinity. The noise will come back
when the insulator dries out and the carbonized dirt in the same
goes bacl to path-arcing again. This can lead to a very dangerous
condition know in the industry as a "Hot Pole"

(see: http://www.utilityinnovations.com/lingo.htm )

A good way to find an leaking insulator
in the area is to find the noise with your AM car radio (tune
to a vacant spot on the dial in the daytime when U can hear
the noise/hash) and drive around. Noise will be greatest when
your near the pole. Use a pocket/portable radio as the "noise
sniffer" to find the pole. (Note: Never touch a pole that
you suspect may be "leaking" or has a suspect bad insulator)

Take down the pole number, call the power company and
tell them you *suspect* that they have a possible Hot Pole
Situation / Incident. Be clear and do not enhance the situation.
Be sure to tell them who/how/why and this will usually get them
out to check/fix the same.

Again, the key words here a "I suspect a possible Hot Pole".

This is a hazard that, if confirmed, all power companies take seriously
and usually the SWL or Ham is the first person to be aware of such
as his radio will pickup the noise of the electric arcing.
Most power companies will be
happy to find/fix such a condition early as it may preclude a possible
catastrophic insulator/line failure in their distribution system later on.



For more info see also these URL's:

http://www.maintenanceworld.com/Arti...y_boldstar.pdf

http://www.electricity-today.com/et/...7_infrared.htm

http://www.daycor.com/applic_tech.pdf

http://www.usace.army.mil/publicatio...684/chap16.pdf

http://www.cps.gov.on.ca/english/pla...11/M-9611L.pdf