NJ, DELAWARE, NEW YORK MARYLAND NOISY?

[Sonar]

I am seeing an S6 in static here in New Jersey. I have been having issues with my station for some time, and am trying to get things in order. I was wondering if this extremely high noise (static) level is being experienced in my area? Or it just happening in my shack? Any other states experiencing this? Especially the South Jersey area? Could it be hurricane Florence causing this never-before seen or heard S6 noise level on my end? This type of noise level has never been experienced in my shack. Nothing else has changed as far as adding new appliances in my home. The last time I used my station the noise level was and as it usually is. Which is below an s1, and barely noticeable. I would like to think it's atmospheric issues. It would certainly save me a lot of time trying to track it down. Thank you. 73

 

[loosecannon]

probably a neighbor who bought a wireless keyboard or wireless mouse, a touch-lamp, a bug zapper, or started an indoor grow operation.

sad as it is, the world is an RF noisy place, and it's only going to get worse.

you may get lucky and find an arcing street light or something else that a public entity would be required to fix, but you can't force your neighbors to throw out their cheap electronics.

Sonar, i know you REALLY don't want to hear this, but getting your antenna way up in the air is really the only remedy for this, and it doesn't always get rid of the noise.

you really cant filter this type of noise as it is so broadband.
going to a horizontal antenna does help, but im not the one to consult on that as i've always run verticals.
LC

 

[Riverman]

Replaced a burned out light bulb recently? Some of the older energy-saving bulbs will do it. Only takes one. I suddenly had S7 noise once till I found the culprit. Went back down to S1 when I got rid of the booger.

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

I have S1 in Dover. Probably someone in the neighborhood. If you had a radio in your car you might be able to drive around to see where it is the strongest.

 

[Sonar]

I'm happy to repost that whatever was causing the issue is gone. It lasted approximately an hour. The reason for my concern was I had never experienced anything like that in the almost 4 years since my return to 11 meters. I have seen YouTube videos mostly consisting of HF operators, and when I say HF operators I mean ticket holders on ham bands with noise levels so high that it was impossible for them to hear absolutely anybody. Now I know exactly how they felt, and the frustration they must have had to deal with.. Most of the videos were of people complaining of that being a constant problem, and going through all sorts of DSP speakers, filters. Having to walk around one's neighborhood with an AM receiver trying to track down the source. Some people were lucky enough to find the issue had to do with the local electric company. I read many that most companies that Supply electricity are obligated by law to come out and check out if the noise level on one's receiver might be coming from one of their Transformers or old electrical gear. I had the radio on for approximately 3 hours mostly listening and after an hour the noise never came back. I don't know what it was, but I can honestly say that thank God it's not something that I would have had to track down. It would have been impossible for me to do so. I'm also glad that it wasn't a neighbor of mine. I am a happy-go-lucky kind of guy but in all honesty Beyond a hello and goodbye I really try to keep my distance from my neighbors. I am a transplant. I was born, and raised and New York, and that's where I try to spend most of my time as all or most of my family and friends are still there. It must suck to have to go around knocking on neighbors doors and explaining that your receiver is getting an unusually high interference level, and have to ask everybody if they might've purchased any new appliances excetera excetera excetera, and then trying to rectify the problem. That would be a total nightmare. There was a guy in in Philadelp who had this type of problem, and I suggested that he look into a DSP filter. He purchased a West Mountain DSP filter from cheap ham for a bit over $200. I hadn't heard the guy for several months after recommending the filter, but when I finally did hear from him he couldn't thank me enough. He dealt with a 5 - 7 s unit noise level for almost a year.. He couldn't believe how great that filter worked. It actually dropped the noise down to a point where it did not only stop bothering him, but he was able to here just about everybody. I once owned the Westmount and DSP speaker, and that's why I recommended the filter to him. I didn't purchase it because of any particular noise issues I just wanted to experience what I had when I watched YouTube videos of how incredible those speakers work making one's ears so much more enjoyable. everything becomes easier to listen to with one of those speakers. At least that was my experience. The only reason why I don't have it any longer as I was offered a trade for a bunch of equipment that was worth at least three times as much as I paid for the speaker. I couldn't pass up a deal like that. I'm considering buying another one. Cheap ham radio sells them for $189. It's somewhere between 30 and $70 cheaper than everybody else. Sorry for being so verbose. Thank you my friends. 73.

 

[Riverman]

I'm happy to repost that whatever was causing the issue is gone.

Hallelujah!!!

 

[Sonar]

Hallelujah!!!

You ain't shiting! That would have been a total nightmare had it been constant. I just might of had to find another Hobby.

 

[Riverman]

You ain't shiting! That would have been a total nightmare had it been constant. I just might of had to find another Hobby.

I understand.
When I traced my problem to that light bulb, I thought I'd hit the lottery!

 

[Sonar]

I understand.
When I traced my problem to that light bulb, I thought I'd hit the lottery!

I just recalled that the trade for the West Mountain DSP speaker not only included two Autek wm1's, but a QF-A1 anolog noise filter (also by Autek.) Both meters Were mint cosmetically and worked excellent when I got them. I'm going to assume that the QF-A1 (which is cosmetically mint) works just as good as the meters (electronically speaking.) Weather or not it will improve my receive I wouldn't know. They were owned by an old-timer. They were not only taken care of very well, but used up until the very day of the trade. I might just give it a try on the Madison even though the noise issue I was having is gone. If I'm correct just like the DSP speakers one not necessarily need one in order to get rid of excessive noise. I'm thinking the QF-A1 might improve the quality of the already nice receive I get out of the Madison.

 

[Sonar]

probably a neighbor who bought a wireless keyboard or wireless mouse, a touch-lamp, a bug zapper, or started an indoor grow operation.

sad as it is, the world is an RF noisy place, and it's only going to get worse.

you may get lucky and find an arcing street light or something else that a public entity would be required to fix, but you can't force your neighbors to throw out their cheap electronics.

Sonar, i know you REALLY don't want to hear this, but getting your antenna way up in the air is really the only remedy for this, and it doesn't always get rid of the noise.

you really cant filter this type of noise as it is so broadband.
going to a horizontal antenna does help, but im not the one to consult on that as i've always run verticals.
LC

LC. I wish I could get the antenna higher up. Unfortunately the antenna cannot be placed in a permanent spot. When I say permanent I cannot attach it to my home nor my roof. That's why it's Standing in the backyard. About a year ago I bought a 40' Rohn telescopic mast. I've been saying since then I was going to get someone to install it (the Rohn) onto the tripod of my no penetrating roof mount. Someone will have to drill three holes in the bottom section of the telescopic. It can then be fastened to the non-penetrating roof mounts tripod. The tripod on the non-penetrating roof now currently support a 5-foot mast. On top of that mast I have one more 5 foot of mast. With the overlap for the u-bolts I approximate by IMAX 2000 at 8ft. I'm not sure how much of a difference 20 extra ft will make, but I would have to assume some Improvement either on the receiving or transmitting end would be the likely outcome. Either way it will be worth it. I have been known to purchase items that I either have never use or have taken quite a bit of time to get set up. You know my situation and believe me if I could take care of it on my own it would have been up already. I plan on using some very strong rubber tie diwns. I purchased them in Home Depot. They already have hooks at either end. I will have those hooks put into the masts guy wire ring and attaching it directly to one of the strongest branches on the tree in which my Mast currently leans against. No need for any bracing at 8 feet. We've had 60 mile per hour winds blow through and the IMAX is still exactly where it was when I put it up 3 years ago. Maybe Shady treat mechanic 808 will one day take the hour and 15 minute ride to my la casa in order 2 put that telescopic Mast & IMAX 2000 up for me. LOL! Hint Hint... Of course I'm just joking. Although 808 in Delaware has offered once before to help me get some things straightened out while he picked up the sonar he purchased from me. In the end I sent him the sonar so he never did get to my qth. From my first correspondence selling 808 the sonar, and all the other ones since I am positive he was not joking. Maybe sometime during the fall I will ask him and his son if they would like to stop by the qth and take care of that project for me. I told him from the beginning that I wasn't expecting anything for free and would gladly pay him and his son for the day's work. but in all actuality he refused, and insisted that if he were to pick up the sonar he would help me get some things done with The Shack. I'll take it week-by-week and hopefully before it gets too cold I will at least have that antenna 30 feet up in the air. The noise has not come back. I did dig up the QF-1A. I wanted to try it out on the Madison. Unfortunately the 1/4 inch to 1/8 inch adapter is a cheap Chinese piece of junk and is causing static. The 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch adapteradapter I I I have is American made and works perfectly. I just purchased another one-quarter inch to 1/8 inch adapt from the company in which I purchased the 1/8 to 1/4". Even though there is no noise I would like to give this analoganalog noise filter a try. I've seen a couple of videos of the Autek QF-1A and it actually seems like it works very well. There's no point in letting it sit there. I'm not expecting it to work as well as any DSP speaker or filter, but it it might work well enough to keep it in line permanently.

 

[Riverman]

LC. I wish I could get the antenna higher up. Unfortunately the antenna cannot be placed in a permanent spot. When I say permanent I cannot attach it to my home nor my roof. That's why it's Standing in the backyard. About a year ago I bought a 40' Rohn telescopic mast. I've been saying since then I was going to get someone to install it (the Rohn) onto the tripod of my no penetrating roof mount. Someone will have to drill three holes in the bottom section of the telescopic. It can then be fastened to the non-penetrating roof mounts tripod. The tripod on the non-penetrating roof now currently support a 5-foot mast. On top of that mast I have one more 5 foot of mast. With the overlap for the u-bolts I approximate by IMAX 2000 at 8ft. I'm not sure how much of a difference 20 extra ft will make, but I would have to assume some Improvement either on the receiving or transmitting end would be the likely outcome. Either way it will be worth it. I have been known to purchase items that I either have never use or have taken quite a bit of time to get set up. You know my situation and believe me if I could take care of it on my own it would have been up already. I plan on using some very strong rubber tie diwns. I purchased them in Home Depot. They already have hooks at either end. I will have those hooks put into the masts guy wire ring and attaching it directly to one of the strongest branches on the tree in which my Mast currently leans against. No need for any bracing at 8 feet. We've had 60 mile per hour winds blow through and the IMAX is still exactly where it was when I put it up 3 years ago. Maybe Shady treat mechanic 808 will one day take the hour and 15 minute ride to my la casa in order 2 put that telescopic Mast & IMAX 2000 up for me. LOL! Hint Hint... Of course I'm just joking. Although 808 in Delaware has offered once before to help me get some things straightened out while he picked up the sonar he purchased from me. In the end I sent him the sonar so he never did get to my qth. From my first correspondence selling 808 the sonar, and all the other ones since I am positive he was not joking. Maybe sometime during the fall I will ask him and his son if they would like to stop by the qth and take care of that project for me. I told him from the beginning that I wasn't expecting anything for free and would gladly pay him and his son for the day's work. but in all actuality he refused, and insisted that if he were to pick up the sonar he would help me get some things done with The Shack. I'll take it week-by-week and hopefully before it gets too cold I will at least have that antenna 30 feet up in the air. The noise has not come back. I did dig up the QF-1A. I wanted to try it out on the Madison. Unfortunately the 1/4 inch to 1/8 inch adapter is a cheap Chinese piece of junk and is causing static. The 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch adapteradapter I I I have is American made and works perfectly. I just purchased another one-quarter inch to 1/8 inch adapt from the company in which I purchased the 1/8 to 1/4". Even though there is no noise I would like to give this analoganalog noise filter a try. I've seen a couple of videos of the Autek QF-1A and it actually seems like it works very well. There's no point in letting it sit there. I'm not expecting it to work as well as any DSP speaker or filter, but it it might work well enough to keep it in line permanently.
View attachment 25312

If I wasn't way down here in Texas, I come fix your antenna however you wanted it for you. For free. Know a lot of guys on this site would. Maybe one within driving distance will do just that. Hope so.

 

[Sonar]

If I wasn't way down here in Texas, I come fix your antenna however you wanted it for you. For free. Know a lot of guys on this site would. Maybe one within driving distance will do just that. Hope so.

Riverman. I totally appreciate that. I do have lots of friends and family who do many things for me. The problem with that is they all live in NYC. When they do come to visit I don't want to have then working on something that isn't exactly a walk in the park. I like to spend my time with them having a nice dinner and socializing. There's a handyman in my area that has done a lot of work on my house. Things like installing ceiling fans, and the transfer switch for my generator. It's not even the money because if he charged $150 to install the two fans that he did I would have paid it, but he only charged me $25. He charged me $50 to install the transfer switch for the generator I purchased to run my home when the electricity goes out. I'm most likely going to get him to do the job for me. Once again I appreciate it, and I'm sure there are some locals that would offer to do the job if I asked. but in all honesty I am a very private person for several reasons, and out of the 10 locals that I speak to on my home Channel I've only met one of them. The reason I met him was that he is a mechanic, and I needed a coil over plug for my vehicle. I always bring my vehicle to Ford, but since I knew he was a mechanic I figured I'd give him a chance to make some money, and save some at the same time. Other than him I've never met any other localo, and I think it's best to keep it that way (I'll p.m. you the reason so you don't think I'm a weirdo.) it may have seemed like I was joking but in all honesty I truly believe that if I asked 808 in Delaware if he could find a weekend when him and his son could come and do the job I think that he would absolutely do it. As I mentioned in my previous post he actually offered to do something that I needed done in the shack when he came to pick up the sonar. But in the end I wound up sending it to him. I'm going to wait until it gets a little cooler and then I'm going to have the handyman stop early one Saturday morning and within 2 or 3 hours I'm sure the IMAX 2000 will be up on that 30 foot telescopic mast. Thanks again my friend.

 

[loosecannon]

i hear you Sonar, and i also wish i lived closer.

if you are looking to add DSP to your madison, check out this video:
the radio is the Australian version of the madison, same innards.
that DSP sells for just over a hundred bucks and looks like a very cool addition.



LC

 

[Sonar]

I might concider purchesing that dsp board. I'm going to weight the pluses and minuses.
I'm assuming a bit above $100 means around $125-140 with shipping.
I really like the non mechanical sound although the West Mountain DSP speakers mechanical sound was minimal. The thing I'll have to think about is the Madison's round trip of $50, and the cost to install it (the DSP). The cost isn't the big issue. It's the fact that the West Mountain can be used on two recivers, with the optional splitter. And is easy to use with any future rig changes.
Then again that DSP installed in that Australian Madison not only sounded awesome when activated, it might be a sweet addition. I was on the verge of selling the Madison in order to put the money twords the ftdx 1200, but I just can't and will never part with. LC. Im getting a few other things in order at the moment. When those things are done I'll pm you and we'll talk about what it's going to be for the whole kit and caboodle. Besides direct injecting the madison (which I'm concidercon) the DSP will be all about I could do to it. Besides maybe gold platingh the Madison's covers. Lol

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

Riverman. I totally appreciate that. I do have lots of friends and family who do many things for me. The problem with that is they all live in NYC. When they do come to visit I don't want to have then working on something that isn't exactly a walk in the park. I like to spend my time with them having a nice dinner and socializing. There's a handyman in my area that has done a lot of work on my house. Things like installing ceiling fans, and the transfer switch for my generator. It's not even the money because if he charged $150 to install the two fans that he did I would have paid it, but he only charged me $25. He charged me $50 to install the transfer switch for the generator I purchased to run my home when the electricity goes out. I'm most likely going to get him to do the job for me. Once again I appreciate it, and I'm sure there are some locals that would offer to do the job if I asked. but in all honesty I am a very private person for several reasons, and out of the 10 locals that I speak to on my home Channel I've only met one of them. The reason I met him was that he is a mechanic, and I needed a coil over plug for my vehicle. I always bring my vehicle to Ford, but since I knew he was a mechanic I figured I'd give him a chance to make some money, and save some at the same time. Other than him I've never met any other localo, and I think it's best to keep it that way (I'll p.m. you the reason so you don't think I'm a weirdo.) it may have seemed like I was joking but in all honesty I truly believe that if I asked 808 in Delaware if he could find a weekend when him and his son could come and do the job I think that he would absolutely do it. As I mentioned in my previous post he actually offered to do something that I needed done in the shack when he came to pick up the sonar. But in the end I wound up sending it to him. I'm going to wait until it gets a little cooler and then I'm going to have the handyman stop early one Saturday morning and within 2 or 3 hours I'm sure the IMAX 2000 will be up on that 30 foot telescopic mast. Thanks again my friend.

Hey Sonar, I can help you out for sure. I get some days off during the week and some weekends but it is always changing. PM me and I am sure we can find a day that works.
Chris