Michael Coslo wrote:

W. Watson wrote:

I bought this antenna on a 30 day trial, and just got it about 12
hours ago. So far I'm not at all impressed. I live about 150 miles
from an AM station, at 810, in the SF/SJ Bay Area, which has a
marginal signal, but usually listenable. Putting a new PSU in a PC
about a month ago increased the noise in AM radios 70-100' from the PC
to an almost unacceptable level. I had hoped the antenna would boost
the signal enough to knock down the noise. There are times when I can
get a good signal from the station, but certainly less frequently than
before.


Any rf noise put out by the computer ps is going to be picked up by
your antenna as well as the radio station you are trying to hear. So a
better antenna (if your new one is indeed better) wil just pick up
stronger power supply noise. It's moslty a null situation.

What you need to do is get that power supply fixed or replaced

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

I think the only solutions to the PSU problem is to buy a much better one.
As I mention above, that's probably a losing proposition. I doubt after 6
weeks they would take it back. It might be worth a try though. Note my
comment above to someone a few moments ago that this seems to be a household
circuit dependent problem. Another PC in the same room works fine until I
plug it into the socket that I first noticed the problem.



--
Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

Traveling in remote places in the winter. What's the best
tool to carry with you? An axe.
-- Survivorman, Discovery (SCI) Channel

Web Page: home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews

W. Watson wrote:
Michael Coslo wrote:

W. Watson wrote:

I bought this antenna on a 30 day trial, and just got it about 12
hours ago. So far I'm not at all impressed. I live about 150 miles
from an AM station, at 810, in the SF/SJ Bay Area, which has a
marginal signal, but usually listenable. Putting a new PSU in a PC
about a month ago increased the noise in AM radios 70-100' from the
PC to an almost unacceptable level. I had hoped the antenna would
boost the signal enough to knock down the noise. There are times when
I can get a good signal from the station, but certainly less
frequently than before.



Any rf noise put out by the computer ps is going to be picked up
by your antenna as well as the radio station you are trying to hear.
So a better antenna (if your new one is indeed better) wil just pick
up stronger power supply noise. It's moslty a null situation.

What you need to do is get that power supply fixed or replaced

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

I think the only solutions to the PSU problem is to buy a much better
one. As I mention above, that's probably a losing proposition. I doubt
after 6 weeks they would take it back. It might be worth a try though.
Note my comment above to someone a few moments ago that this seems to be
a household circuit dependent problem. Another PC in the same room works
fine until I plug it into the socket that I first noticed the problem.


Hmmm, just maybe, you might be able to ditch it as a warranty item.
Dunno tho' as it will depend on the outfit that sold it to you. I don't
know if you are a Ham or not, but if you are, you might play the part 15
card, as they are required to not interfere. I suspect that a 160 meter
rig might catch the same interference.

It is kind of a drag though, since IIRC a noisy switcher Power supply
is hard to fix. Good luck!

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

Mike Coslo wrote:

W. Watson wrote:

Michael Coslo wrote:

W. Watson wrote:

I bought this antenna on a 30 day trial, and just got it about 12
hours ago. So far I'm not at all impressed. I live about 150 miles
from an AM station, at 810, in the SF/SJ Bay Area, which has a
marginal signal, but usually listenable. Putting a new PSU in a PC
about a month ago increased the noise in AM radios 70-100' from the
PC to an almost unacceptable level. I had hoped the antenna would
boost the signal enough to knock down the noise. There are times
when I can get a good signal from the station, but certainly less
frequently than before.




Any rf noise put out by the computer ps is going to be picked up
by your antenna as well as the radio station you are trying to hear.
So a better antenna (if your new one is indeed better) wil just pick
up stronger power supply noise. It's moslty a null situation.

What you need to do is get that power supply fixed or replaced

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

I think the only solutions to the PSU problem is to buy a much better
one. As I mention above, that's probably a losing proposition. I doubt
after 6 weeks they would take it back. It might be worth a try though.
Note my comment above to someone a few moments ago that this seems to
be a household circuit dependent problem. Another PC in the same room
works fine until I plug it into the socket that I first noticed the
problem.



Hmmm, just maybe, you might be able to ditch it as a warranty item.
Dunno tho' as it will depend on the outfit that sold it to you. I don't
know if you are a Ham or not, but if you are, you might play the part 15
card, as they are required to not interfere. I suspect that a 160 meter
rig might catch the same interference.

It is kind of a drag though, since IIRC a noisy switcher Power
supply is hard to fix. Good luck!

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -
I'm tempted, but somehow your message gave me another idea. I think I'm
going to take the PC to an entirely different location miles from here and
see if get the same problem.

--
Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

Traveling in remote places in the winter. What's the best
tool to carry with you? An axe.
-- Survivorman, Discovery (SCI) Channel

Web Page: home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews

Computers and computer components are regulated by the FCC.
They MUST NOT cause interferance to licenced radio services.
(like the radio stations you are trying to tune in.)
Make that clear to the vendor you got the power supply from!

KD5RPO




W. Watson wrote:
Michael Coslo wrote:

W. Watson wrote:

I bought this antenna on a 30 day trial, and just got it about 12
hours ago. So far I'm not at all impressed. I live about 150 miles
from an AM station, at 810, in the SF/SJ Bay Area, which has a
marginal signal, but usually listenable. Putting a new PSU in a PC
about a month ago increased the noise in AM radios 70-100' from the
PC to an almost unacceptable level. I had hoped the antenna would
boost the signal enough to knock down the noise. There are times when
I can get a good signal from the station, but certainly less
frequently than before.



Any rf noise put out by the computer ps is going to be picked up
by your antenna as well as the radio station you are trying to hear.
So a better antenna (if your new one is indeed better) wil just pick
up stronger power supply noise. It's moslty a null situation.

What you need to do is get that power supply fixed or replaced

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

I think the only solutions to the PSU problem is to buy a much better
one. As I mention above, that's probably a losing proposition. I doubt
after 6 weeks they would take it back. It might be worth a try though.
Note my comment above to someone a few moments ago that this seems to be
a household circuit dependent problem. Another PC in the same room works
fine until I plug it into the socket that I first noticed the problem.

BKR wrote:
Computers and computer components are regulated by the FCC.
They MUST NOT cause interferance to licenced radio services.
(like the radio stations you are trying to tune in.)
Make that clear to the vendor you got the power supply from!


Interesting thought but impractical. It could be the installation
(e.g., grounding) vs. the supply itself. Event if the PSU itself,
proving it would be a chore.

"Phil Wheeler" bravely wrote to "All" (01 Dec 05 09:53:08)
--- on the heady topic of " C. Crane's Twin Ferrite Antenna"

PW From: Phil Wheeler
PW Xref: core-easynews rec.radio.amateur.antenna:220688

PW BKR wrote:
Computers and computer components are regulated by the FCC.
They MUST NOT cause interferance to licenced radio services.
(like the radio stations you are trying to tune in.)
Make that clear to the vendor you got the power supply from!


PW Interesting thought but impractical. It could be the installation
PW (e.g., grounding) vs. the supply itself. Event if the PSU itself,
PW proving it would be a chore.

Especially since most of the off-shore stuff may have all the right
stickers but be complete fakes of the real thing.

A*s*i*m*o*v

.... We're young, rich, and full of sugar, what do we do?

On 1-Dec-2005, Phil Wheeler wrote:

Xref: number1.nntp.dca.giganews.com rec.radio.amateur.antenna:253561

BKR wrote:
Computers and computer components are regulated by the FCC.
They MUST NOT cause interferance to licenced radio services.
(like the radio stations you are trying to tune in.)
Make that clear to the vendor you got the power supply from!


Interesting thought but impractical. It could be the installation
(e.g., grounding) vs. the supply itself. Event if the PSU itself,
proving it would be a chore.

The noise from PC Power Supplies is usually radiated from the power cord and the house wiring. The
cause is often that the manufacturers cut cost by leaving out the L and C components of the line
filter. Usually you will find the place on the PSU circuit board to mount a bi-filar choke and two
or three capacitors. The capacitors are missing and the pads for the choke are jumpered. If you
can find an older junk PSU which has the components, just unsolder them from the junk board and
install them in your PSU. Sometimes the PSU's in Monitors have the filter components.

When I installed the filter in my old Pentium, the switch mode hash on broadcast band stations went
down by 30 db. Installing line filters outside the CPU Case had very little effect.

-ken-

W. Watson wrote:

I'll continue to experiment, but so far not so good. Comments?

As others have said, you should try to attenuate the noise at its
source. If it is radiated, you need a better PSU. If it is coming out
on the PCs AC line, line filters might help.

If the PC and KGO are not in the same direction, some sort of
directional antenna might help.

Of course, the ultimate solution would be to move to SF and get a really
big signal. But there are problems with that, too: I live abt 3-4 miles
west of KNX (50 KW, 1070 KHz) and my problem is avoiding it, not making
it stonger

Phil

Phil Wheeler wrote:

W. Watson wrote:


I'll continue to experiment, but so far not so good. Comments?


As others have said, you should try to attenuate the noise at its
source. If it is radiated, you need a better PSU. If it is coming out
on the PCs AC line, line filters might help.

If the PC and KGO are not in the same direction, some sort of
directional antenna might help.

Of course, the ultimate solution would be to move to SF and get a really
big signal. But there are problems with that, too: I live abt 3-4 miles
west of KNX (50 KW, 1070 KHz) and my problem is avoiding it, not making
it stonger

Phil
Yes, I've had that experience with close stations. You can probably listen
to it through the bed springs. :-)

Attempts to shield the AC with the RS ferrite block and a barbell weight
failed. See comment about household circuit dependency in my just posted
responses above yours.

--
Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

Traveling in remote places in the winter. What's the best
tool to carry with you? An axe.
-- Survivorman, Discovery (SCI) Channel

Web Page: home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews

W. Watson wrote:
Phil Wheeler wrote:

W. Watson wrote:


I'll continue to experiment, but so far not so good. Comments?



As others have said, you should try to attenuate the noise at its
source. If it is radiated, you need a better PSU. If it is coming
out on the PCs AC line, line filters might help.

If the PC and KGO are not in the same direction, some sort of
directional antenna might help.

Of course, the ultimate solution would be to move to SF and get a
really big signal. But there are problems with that, too: I live abt
3-4 miles west of KNX (50 KW, 1070 KHz) and my problem is avoiding it,
not making it stonger

Phil

Yes, I've had that experience with close stations. You can probably
listen to it through the bed springs. :-)


I hope not: Still use a water bed

Attempts to shield the AC with the RS ferrite block and a barbell weight
failed. See comment about household circuit dependency in my just posted
responses above yours.


Got it!