HF noise from new electricity meter?
 

I noticed recently that I was receiving a new kind of noise/interference
on certain shortwave frequency ranges. It seems to be an unmodulated
carrier which repeats at 43-Khz intervals throughout a range of several
hundred KHZ. It's most noticeable in/near the 25-m band from about 11200
to 12400, although I've found it at weaker levels in other frequency
ranges.
I got to thinking about the possible source of this interference and
remembered that the local power company recently replaced my home
electricity meter with a new remote reading digital meter. Is there any
documentation on RF interference from these meters?


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I don't know of any written documentation but a Google search should turn up
some. These meters are known interference generators.


"starman" wrote in message
...
I noticed recently that I was receiving a new kind of noise/interference
on certain shortwave frequency ranges. It seems to be an unmodulated
carrier which repeats at 43-Khz intervals throughout a range of several
hundred KHZ. It's most noticeable in/near the 25-m band from about 11200
to 12400, although I've found it at weaker levels in other frequency
ranges.
I got to thinking about the possible source of this interference and
remembered that the local power company recently replaced my home
electricity meter with a new remote reading digital meter. Is there any
documentation on RF interference from these meters?


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"starman" wrote in message
...
I noticed recently that I was receiving a new kind of noise/interference
on certain shortwave frequency ranges. It seems to be an unmodulated
carrier which repeats at 43-Khz intervals throughout a range of several
hundred KHZ. It's most noticeable in/near the 25-m band from about 11200
to 12400, although I've found it at weaker levels in other frequency
ranges.
I got to thinking about the possible source of this interference and
remembered that the local power company recently replaced my home
electricity meter with a new remote reading digital meter. Is there any
documentation on RF interference from these meters?


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If you are in Europe then all new electrical equipment should be EM
compliant and not generate interference. The meter should have a CE mark
indicating amongst other things that it complies with the EMC directive.

If the meter has a CE mark and is generating interference then it is faulty.
If it does not it is probably illegal. In both cases the power company
should replace it.

If you are in the US then I don't know if there are any regulations on EM
compliance.

If you call the electric company thay should fix it for you.

Remote read meters have been legion in the U.K., and are
hated by hams and SWLs there. All of that to save money.
Having a staff of well - paid meter readers is good for the RF
spectrum, good for the employees, and not bad for the power
companies. Once again, someone's asleep at the FCC wheel.

73,

Steve Lawrence
Burnsville, MN


"starman" wrote in message
...
| I noticed recently that I was receiving a new kind of noise/interference
| on certain shortwave frequency ranges. It seems to be an unmodulated
| carrier which repeats at 43-Khz intervals throughout a range of several
| hundred KHZ. It's most noticeable in/near the 25-m band from about 11200
| to 12400, although I've found it at weaker levels in other frequency
| ranges.
| I got to thinking about the possible source of this interference and
| remembered that the local power company recently replaced my home
| electricity meter with a new remote reading digital meter. Is there any
| documentation on RF interference from these meters?
|
|
| -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
| http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
| -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----


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Yes, there are but it is kind of a catch 22. The FCC part 15 regulations say
that the device must not radiate harmful interference. Problem is, shortwave
receivers are also part 15 devices. The last part of part 15 states that if
the device is interfered with, it must except this interference. If he is a
ham, he is better off. As a ham, his radio would be considered part of his
station. If a device is interfering with a licensed radio station, it must
be fixed or removed from service.


"Colin" wrote in message
...


If you are in the US then I don't know if there are any regulations on EM
compliance.

Hmm... Now I wonder if my remote reading water meter may be causing
intereference. I do receive strange stuff at times that don't seem to be
related to transmitting stations.

Bill, K5BY

WShoots1 wrote:

Hmm... Now I wonder if my remote reading water meter may be causing
intereference. I do receive strange stuff at times that don't seem to be
related to transmitting stations.

Bill, K5BY

If the interference produces a constant signal strength on the receivers
meter (no fading), it may be coming from something in your home. That's
why I suspect the new remote reading electricity meter. I'm going to put
a portable shortwave radio near the new meter and see what I get.


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I'm going to put a portable shortwave radio near the new meter and see what
I get.

Great idea, Starman. I'll check out my water meter that way in the morning.

I don't why I didn't think of that. Every few years, I have to roam the streets
to find an interfering pole transformer or street light ballast.

Bill, K5BY

Today it dawned on me that the water meter thingy for my house is probably a
transponder type that won't transmit until it's triggered by a signal from the
meter reader guy.

Bill, K5BY

Behold, WShoots1 signalled from keyed 4-1000A filament:

Today it dawned on me that the water meter thingy for my house is
probably a transponder type that won't transmit until it's triggered by
a signal from the meter reader guy.

Bill, K5BY

Score!

Monitor the packets.

Possibly you can spoof the sumbitch to getcha 1/4 price power!

evil grin

--
Gregg
*It's probably useful, even if it can't be SPICE'd*
http://geek.scorpiorising.ca

WShoots1 wrote:

I'm going to put a portable shortwave radio near the new meter and see what
I get.

Great idea, Starman. I'll check out my water meter that way in the morning.

I don't why I didn't think of that. Every few years, I have to roam the streets
to find an interfering pole transformer or street light ballast.

Bill, K5BY

I just found two bad (noisy) street lights in my neighborhood that were
causing intermittent noise. The new high pressure sodium (yellow) lights
seem to have more problems than the older mercury vapor (blue-white)
ones.


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Gregg: Monitor the packets. Possibly you can spoof the sumbitch to getcha
1/4 price power!

Heh heh... Good idea, except for one problem. Now that I'm widowed, I only use
1000 gal/month of water, but I have to pay for 2000 minimum whether I use it or
not. Of course, should I go back to growing some food... ):

Starman: The new high pressure sodium (yellow) lights seem to have more
problems than the older mercury vapor (blue-white) ones.

When they installed street lights here a few months ago, they were sodium.
Already I reported on intermittent one, which they fixed. I'll check them out
because I do get noise at night that doesn't seem right. Thanks.

Bill, K5BY

On Wed, 22 Oct 2003 03:01:09 -0400, starman wrote:

WShoots1 wrote:

I'm going to put a portable shortwave radio near the new meter and see what
I get.

Great idea, Starman. I'll check out my water meter that way in the morning.

I don't why I didn't think of that. Every few years, I have to roam the streets
to find an interfering pole transformer or street light ballast.

Bill, K5BY

I just found two bad (noisy) street lights in my neighborhood that were
causing intermittent noise. The new high pressure sodium (yellow) lights
seem to have more problems than the older mercury vapor (blue-white)
ones.

Yellow is Low Pressure Sodium, HPS is more of a pink.....

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matt weber wrote:

On Wed, 22 Oct 2003 03:01:09 -0400, starman wrote:

WShoots1 wrote:

I'm going to put a portable shortwave radio near the new meter and see what
I get.

Great idea, Starman. I'll check out my water meter that way in the morning.

I don't why I didn't think of that. Every few years, I have to roam the streets
to find an interfering pole transformer or street light ballast.

Bill, K5BY

I just found two bad (noisy) street lights in my neighborhood that were
causing intermittent noise. The new high pressure sodium (yellow) lights
seem to have more problems than the older mercury vapor (blue-white)
ones.

Yellow is Low Pressure Sodium, HPS is more of a pink.....

You're right. Most of the new lights on the back streets in my area are
low pressure sodium but we do have some high pressure ones on the main
roads where more light is needed. In either case, they seem to fail more
often than the mercury vapor ones, particularly going off and on all
night. It's the restart that causes the RF noise.


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