My HT, power supply and amp are in the living room. The coax runs into
the kitchen with a Diamond 2 meter magmount antenna out the kitchen
window on a steel plate. I have had no problems for 11 years.

Yesterday I keyed down and heard a buzz coming from the kitchen. I had a
friend key down, went to the kitchen to see where the buzz is coming
from and it's coming from the outlet next to the window that has NOTHING
plugged into it! My units are all plugged in in the living room. What's
happening here RF wise? If you have any idea, please either post it here
or email me. I have an Extra Class License but this isn't in the books
:-( Thanks in advance!

"moth ." wrote in message
...
My HT, power supply and amp are in the living room. The coax runs into
the kitchen with a Diamond 2 meter magmount antenna out the kitchen
window on a steel plate. I have had no problems for 11 years.

Yesterday I keyed down and heard a buzz coming from the kitchen. I had a
friend key down, went to the kitchen to see where the buzz is coming
from and it's coming from the outlet next to the window that has NOTHING
plugged into it! My units are all plugged in in the living room. What's
happening here RF wise? If you have any idea, please either post it here
or email me. I have an Extra Class License but this isn't in the books
:-( Thanks in advance!

Maybe a loose wire in the outlet ? Sometimes the outlets are wired to each
other and as current is drawn from them they can cause problems.

On Mon, 20 Sep 2004 19:57:12 -0400, moth . hath writ:
My HT, power supply and amp are in the living room. The coax runs into
the kitchen with a Diamond 2 meter magmount antenna out the kitchen
window on a steel plate. I have had no problems for 11 years.

Yesterday I keyed down and heard a buzz coming from the kitchen. I had a
friend key down, went to the kitchen to see where the buzz is coming
from and it's coming from the outlet next to the window that has NOTHING
plugged into it! My units are all plugged in in the living room. What's
happening here RF wise? If you have any idea, please either post it here
or email me. I have an Extra Class License but this isn't in the books
:-( Thanks in advance!

Pro'lly the branch line to feed that outlet comes _down_ the
outside wall (from the attic / from the ceiling.) Makes a
GREAT little vertical antenna -- great for coupling RF from
your nearby vertical antenna.

I'd take the vanity plate off the outlet, darken the room,
and re-create the scenario you explained above. Get in close and
see what is arcing, buzzing, spitting. As others have said, it's
pro'lly a loose connection.

I have Extra Class License, too, but ...

73
Jonesy
--
| Marvin L Jones | jonz | W3DHJ | linux
| Gunnison, Colorado | @ | Jonesy | OS/2 __
| 7,703' -- 2,345m | config.com | DM68mn SK

My HT, power supply and amp are in the living room. The coax runs into
the kitchen with a Diamond 2 meter magmount antenna out the kitchen
window on a steel plate. I have had no problems for 11 years.

Yesterday I keyed down and heard a buzz coming from the kitchen. I had a
friend key down, went to the kitchen to see where the buzz is coming
from and it's coming from the outlet next to the window that has NOTHING
plugged into it! My units are all plugged in in the living room. What's
happening here RF wise? If you have any idea, please either post it here
or email me. I have an Extra Class License but this isn't in the books
:-( Thanks in advance!

Is that by any chance an outlet with a GFCI (ground fault circuit
interrupter) built in? Current electrical codes generally require
that these be used for all outlets around areas with water. They
usually have a solenoid or other sort of circuit breaker inside, and
it's possible that this is being partially activated by rectified RF
currents.

--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!

(Dave Platt) wrote in message ...
My HT, power supply and amp are in the living room. The coax runs into
the kitchen with a Diamond 2 meter magmount antenna out the kitchen
window on a steel plate. I have had no problems for 11 years.

Yesterday I keyed down and heard a buzz coming from the kitchen. I had a
friend key down, went to the kitchen to see where the buzz is coming
from and it's coming from the outlet next to the window that has NOTHING
plugged into it! My units are all plugged in in the living room. What's
happening here RF wise? If you have any idea, please either post it here
or email me. I have an Extra Class License but this isn't in the books
:-( Thanks in advance!

Is that by any chance an outlet with a GFCI (ground fault circuit
interrupter) built in? Current electrical codes generally require
that these be used for all outlets around areas with water. They
usually have a solenoid or other sort of circuit breaker inside, and
it's possible that this is being partially activated by rectified RF
currents.

Duh! - pull it off the wall and have a look is a good place to start.
Andrew VK3BFA

"Andrew VK3BFA" wrote in message
om...
(Dave Platt) wrote in message
...
My HT, power supply and amp are in the living room. The coax runs into
the kitchen with a Diamond 2 meter magmount antenna out the kitchen
window on a steel plate. I have had no problems for 11 years.

Yesterday I keyed down and heard a buzz coming from the kitchen. I had
a
friend key down, went to the kitchen to see where the buzz is coming
from and it's coming from the outlet next to the window that has
NOTHING
plugged into it! My units are all plugged in in the living room. What's
happening here RF wise? If you have any idea, please either post it
here
or email me. I have an Extra Class License but this isn't in the books
:-( Thanks in advance!

Is that by any chance an outlet with a GFCI (ground fault circuit
interrupter) built in? Current electrical codes generally require
that these be used for all outlets around areas with water. They
usually have a solenoid or other sort of circuit breaker inside, and
it's possible that this is being partially activated by rectified RF
currents.

Duh! - pull it off the wall and have a look is a good place to start.
Andrew VK3BFA

Not always - are those things "visible". I agree with the gentleman's
thought of a GFIC being tripped or influenced somehow with RF. RF does
strange things and if you're not an old hand at it, it can be very
confusing - even with experience, it can create some confusion! Move the
antenna to another spot in the room or house away from outlets, etc. While
you may not hit the same repeaters, you can at least eliminate the RF as the
problem of the buzzing at that outlet. On the other hand, it is possible
too, that if the GFIC wasn't bad to start with, an RF Overload "could" have
created a problem - depending on the make up on that particular unit.
They're not that expensive to replace, if you know how to do one. While I
don't think it a high probability of the RF doing damage to it, I wouldn't
dismiss the thought completely. I've seen and I'm sure others have as well,
things in our electronics dealings which go beyond theory and explanation at
times. It is never good to "assume" anything when dealing with the unknown.
Eliminate all possibilities until the situation is cured.
NS

"NO SPAM" wrote in message . verio.net...
"Andrew VK3BFA" wrote in message
om...
(Dave Platt) wrote in message
n
Duh! - pull it off the wall and have a look is a good place to start.
Andrew VK3BFA

Not always - are those things "visible". I agree with the gentleman's
thought of a GFIC being tripped or influenced somehow with RF. RF does
strange things and if you're not an old hand at it, it can be very
confusing - even with experience, it can create some confusion! Move the
antenna to another spot in the room or house away from outlets, etc. While
you may not hit the same repeaters, you can at least eliminate the RF as the
problem of the buzzing at that outlet. On the other hand, it is possible
too, that if the GFIC wasn't bad to start with, an RF Overload "could" have
created a problem - depending on the make up on that particular unit.
They're not that expensive to replace, if you know how to do one. While I
don't think it a high probability of the RF doing damage to it, I wouldn't
dismiss the thought completely. I've seen and I'm sure others have as well,
things in our electronics dealings which go beyond theory and explanation at
times. It is never good to "assume" anything when dealing with the unknown.
Eliminate all possibilities until the situation is cured.
NS

Agreed - so isnt the simplest, least most blatantly obvious thing to
do is physically examine the offending object.

Andrew VK3BFA

Thank you, everyone for helping me. The handyman just came up. I could
have sworn I tried this with nothing plugged in but the hair dryer seems
to have been the problem. There's a reset button which was off (when you
turned the dryer on, it stops it from working),

When this button is off, the socket buzzes when I key the HT. When the
button is reset, no buzzing. We tried it in another kitchen outlet and
it did the same thing. So it's not the outlet that needs fixing. What's
happening technically is beyond me. If anyone understands this, I'd
appreciate an explanation. I am wondering how much of this may be due to
old coax. I'm careful to not crush it...the window is never tight, I
always leave a space.

"Andrew VK3BFA" wrote in message
om...
"NO SPAM" wrote in message
. verio.net...
"Andrew VK3BFA" wrote in message
om...
(Dave Platt) wrote in message
n
Duh! - pull it off the wall and have a look is a good place to start.
Andrew VK3BFA

Not always - are those things "visible". I agree with the gentleman's
thought of a GFIC being tripped or influenced somehow with RF. RF does
strange things and if you're not an old hand at it, it can be very
confusing - even with experience, it can create some confusion! Move the
antenna to another spot in the room or house away from outlets, etc.
While
you may not hit the same repeaters, you can at least eliminate the RF as
the
problem of the buzzing at that outlet. On the other hand, it is possible
too, that if the GFIC wasn't bad to start with, an RF Overload "could"
have
created a problem - depending on the make up on that particular unit.
They're not that expensive to replace, if you know how to do one. While
I
don't think it a high probability of the RF doing damage to it, I
wouldn't
dismiss the thought completely. I've seen and I'm sure others have as
well,
things in our electronics dealings which go beyond theory and
explanation at
times. It is never good to "assume" anything when dealing with the
unknown.
Eliminate all possibilities until the situation is cured.
NS

Agreed - so isnt the simplest, least most blatantly obvious thing to
do is physically examine the offending object.

Andrew VK3BFA

NO, because parts which are being activated by RF won't show signs of
anything outward, such as being blown. Things are not always OBVIOUS.
There is nothing stopping one from looking, but RF induced troubles are
virtually invisible until you figure out HOW the RF is doing it's magic.
NS

Thank you, everyone for helping me. The handyman just came up. I could
have sworn I tried this with nothing plugged in but the hair dryer seems
to have been the problem. There's a reset button which was off (when you
turned the dryer on, it stops it from working),

When this button is off, the socket buzzes when I key the HT. When the
button is reset, no buzzing. We tried it in another kitchen outlet and
it did the same thing. So it's not the outlet that needs fixing. What's
happening technically is beyond me. If anyone understands this, I'd
appreciate an explanation. I am wondering how much of this may be due to
old coax. I'm careful to not crush it...the window is never tight, I
always leave a space.