IMAX 2000 - Results w/GPK? Balun? Mast Isolation

[cominatyalive]

BOOTY,

Thanks for the URL's.
I have been to that site before but did not see those articles when I was there. A lot of good info there for sure. Thanks. I will go read them now.


J.

 

[cominatyalive]

Hey Hotrod,

I was thinking of getting rid of the IMAX also, But how can an aluminum antenna make any difference? Not putting your claim down, might even try another Antenna. How does Aluminum become quieter than a Fiberglass Imax? Has anyone else had the same results? I've got nothing to lose I suppose but a $140.00 give or take. I have thought of this also in the past. And I have wondered before if an aluminum antenna would be less grief.
I have had nothing but trouble since last October when I put this Da_n Imax up. The ground plane kit is pure crap & doesn't do a single thing. My RF choke has no effect whatsoever but looks. I'm at my wits end. I'm seriously thinking of getting an aluminum 3-element in the spring or a Maco or maybe a sirio like yours. Something has to give! But I'm going to call the power company before I toss in the towel.

Thanks for the tip though, it has been on my mind.


J.

 

[seedkey]

I think the aluminum antennas are DC grounded . Measure across the pl-259 connector of the IMAX 2000 for continuity , see if its an open circuit.. Then measure across a Maco.

Kinda like the difference between K40 and the Wilson 1000

 

[cominatyalive]

The Imax is also DC grounded. If you test for continuity from the center pin of the coax with the radio disconnected and the ground shield on the other end hooked to the antenna, you will get continuity.

Another revelation this morning at 10:00am 12-11-09
the AC hum is only on the lower channels now. 6, 7 & 5
Most of all the upper channels are only measuring 1.0 s units of noise now.

Mmmm, could this be from someone's vapor light outside at night being picked up by my antenna?

This is very frustrating.

If the antenna is DC grounded, I am guessing the ground would also be going through my mast and all the way down my ground cable to the ground rod?

I will try taking the ground cable off my mast as well for a little bit to see if it was acting as an extension of the antenna's ground. But I think it's something else as I have had all my grounding hooked up before and I did not have this problem.

This is no easy thing to diagnose. Just when I think it's one thing, it isn't it at all.

 

[HiDef]

Your noise is probably something that any antenna will pick up. Keep searching the neighborhood.

 

[DXman]

cominatyalive,
I would pretty much bet that your noise is all coming from your power lines around your area.

I've had nearly the same problem here at my location for the last 20 yrs. The colder the weather, the more noise I have. All coming from the power lines and bad insulators.

If you want to try one more thing, which might help, give one of these filters a try - Impulse Suppresors | Arrestors

I have a couple here, they are going to be put in place this spring.

 

[DXman]

Oh, one more thing.....burn the Imax, install a 10k!!!

 

[cominatyalive]

LOL,

Believe me, I have the fire on standby glowing red hot.
Yes, the 10 K is known to be the best in omnidirectional antennas.
However, my direction is going towards long distances. If I'm going to talk long distance, I'd rather put up a beam & rotator. Even a 3-element would suffice, and still for half the dollar value.

Many nights like the last three, I wished I had not bought the Imax.
Last night I had 1.45 to 1.5 s units of pure voltage hum. Tonight I have only 1.1 on Ch 10 and even better on the upper channels. I just can't figure it out. I even reconnected all my grounds afterwards and it made no difference.

Channel 1,2 & 3 only 1.0 s units of noise. I can barely hear the AC hum. And that's with the ANL off. As soon as I hit Channels 4,5 & 6 up it goes to almost 2.0 s units, but those channels are known for noise. I'm dumbfounded. A quiet night for me at last, but no one on to chat with at 1:15am in the morning.

Maybe it's the humidity?

I'd kill to find out why I had three bad days & nights in a row with 1.5 to 3.0 s units of pure VOLTAGE HUM. Electricity is a strange thing. A clear night, and hardly any noise, The last three days & nights it has been cloudy & snowing. A lot of moisture in the air. I bet it added to the stray voltage interference indeed.

I'd love to get rid of this antenna, but right now with X-mas on the way, the kids come first.

Although, when spring comes again, I will be looking for a beam, or some kind of aluminum job.

Will keep ya posted.

J

 

[cominatyalive]

Hello Doc,

I agree, 1.5 S units is complete heaven. I gave you the wrong impression though. Yes, sometimes, like yesterday night & the two nights before, some channels were only 1.5 s units, but that 1.5 worth was loaded with a High voltage crackling hum. Almost like eggs fryin' in the pan it was that bad. Tonight, it's only ground floor noise at 1.1 s units or so. I don't have anything to drive around the neighborhood yet to test the area. But I noticed tonight is a clear night. The last 3 nights were snowy and the wind was kicked up. Lots of moisture I bet too. At least now I know it's not anything else in my house. This is purely a case of stray voltage being recepted into my antenna.
Oh yeah! one more thing,

Last night my computer's cordless mouse's transmission when I moved it around was not picked up on my radio like it normally does. The last three nights I could not hear it. Tonight, every time I even budge the mouse, it buzzes again like a laser. Why some times my radio picks it up, and some nights it does not?

My computer is about 12 feet from my radio. I have not moved anything around. The only thing I did was reconnect my mast's ground cable and the coax ground again. I always thought the cordless transmitter was transmitting across the room. So I don't think my ground cables have anything to do with this unless I go outside out into the 10 degree weather again & unhook them again so I can see if there is a dif.

Mmm, a lot of strange things here.

 

[cominatyalive]

OK, guess what?

2:05am and my cordless mouse is not making hardly the laser noise it was a half hour ago. This is unreal. Any takers? No noise hardly either of any sort. 1.0 S units and holding. This is wonderful. Talk about april fools day. And I haven't changed a Da_n thing. Grounds all connected to my house's neutral service ground rod. I haven't done anything.

J.

 

[HiDef]

Some cordless mice can shift frequency. Try American cheese.

 

[DXman]

LOL,
However, my direction is going towards long distances. If I'm going to talk long distance, I'd rather put up a beam & rotator. Even a 3-element would suffice, and still for half the dollar value.

Well cominatyalive, I am curious as to why you are fussing so much with "noise", if you do plan on going to a beam?
33 yrs ago, I put up a "horizontal" Yagi and still, as of today, I don't experience any "noise" like I do with the I 10K.

Sure, I have the normal vertical static that I am getting from the power lines around me, but I don't worry about it because; for "dxing" I am on the horizontal beam and the noise is gone.

Another thought as just come to me - I remember when I had a Imax up and how much noise I had. Then how much the noise floor dropped when I went to I 10K...pretty close to 2 "s" units.

 

[cominatyalive]

Hello DXman,

Well, I just figured since a beam is aluminum, and I was wanting to talk distance instead, I would kill two birds with one stone. Maybe it would not be so noisy with an aluminum antenna.

I have no experience with beams at all, never owned one.

Last night & today the voltage hum has dropped considerably, but I'm using the ANL switch. The noise is still there 24/7.

I looked at the URL you had for the coaxial suppressor, I will get one soon.

James

 

[cominatyalive]

I FINALLY FOUND THE BLASTED AC INTERFERENCE!

Ok guys, for all of you that have been following my posts, I have now located the source of this horrible AC crackling hum.

It's coming from the telephone pole in my back yard by the alley.
I'm getting the noise tonight really bad again and I got fed up and got my AM radio again to go scouting once more. I decided to go check this pole out once and for all.

I should have done this before. But I thought I did go out before and had checked it months ago. I know I did. But I dismissed it for some reason or another.

This is the same pole that everyone's cable television & internet for the entire block. The big cable box is attached to it at eye level. I held the radio carefully this time all around the pole.

There was a little static from the Cable box, but that was not the culprit. The real culprit was a power cable that is covered by a long cove cover that goes from the ground underneath the ground & all the way up the pole to the top. Whatever cables are inside this cover is the source or is carrying the same horrible noise I'm getting.

And my sensitive Solarcon Imax 2000 is picking it up big time.

DXman, you were right about checking out the power lines. I first went up out on the roof of my house and held my trusty Marlboro AM transistor radio to the power lines to my house, right at the insulators, right before the lines enter the pipe, before going to my meter.

However, there was very little noise to my surprise. I stuck my AM radio's antenna all up and down the power lines while I was on the roof, but little noise. Almost no noise at all actually.

That's when I said to myself, (I'll just go out back to the alley to the telephone pole & really check it).

That's when I found it. Some kind of power lines covered by a cable (Cove cover).

I never thought I was ever going to find this beast, but I did. And I'm so relieved in just finding out what it was.

Now, I'm going to do what DXman said and order one of those coax line suppressors first to see if I can filter the noise out before it enters my IMAX.

I'd rather pay $40.00 first before waiting for a year before the power company comes out to check the pole. If the suppressor does not work, I'm calling Com Ed.

A huge thank you goes out to everyone who has supported me & has taken a second to respond to all my lengthy posts. This has been a real burden on me, but now, I can see clearly now the rain has gone. YAHOO!!!!!!!!!

73's! AND THANK YOU EVERYONE!


JAMES.

 

[Robb]

Now you know where to register your complaint.
Monday...