Power line noise with my dads A99 and 980SSB?

[tchr01]

I've been through all the ARRL samples and power line noise sounds very close but not quite the same. This is a loud clicking sound that's coming through on all channels upper and lower side band.

Check out the video sample. I figured someone here would have heard this before

Sample noise

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

Tried:

• disconnecting antenna (noise gone)
• Snapping on a series of ferrite beads 9ft down from antenna feed point (nothing)
• Different outlets different breakers (nothing)
• Turning off and unplugging devices (nothing)
• Turning off all lights (nothing)
• Another 980ssb unit (same noise)

Next step is to try while house breaker shutoff on a battery. But I figured I'd try here. Thanks!

 

[Dmans]

Try a different antenna if possible. The A-99 was the noisiest antenna I have had in almost 50 years in this hobby.
Try an all aluminum antenna. You will get a better result.

73
David

 

[tchr01]

Try a different antenna if possible. The A-99 was the noisiest antenna I have had in almost 50 years in this hobby.
Try an all aluminum antenna. You will get a better result.

73
David

Good idea. I wonder too if I can get a small portable antenna and walk around the property with an SDR to sniff out interference sources.

I have an old pro comm pat-12 vertical I could bring over and see if the same noise shows up. It's no A99 but it's similar design. Thanks!

 

[AmericanEagle575]

Good idea. I wonder too if I can get a small portable antenna and walk around the property with an SDR to sniff out interference sources.

I have an old pro comm pat-12 vertical I could bring over and see if the same noise shows up. It's no A99 but it's similar design. Thanks!

Isn't the pro comm pat 12 also a fiberglass antenna also,if so would not the same problem exist?? Just Curious........

 

[AmericanEagle575]

Try a different antenna if possible. The A-99 was the noisiest antenna I have had in almost 50 years in this hobby.
Try an all aluminum antenna. You will get a better result.

73
David

I'll 2nd that,as I'm in the process this summer of switching from my antron 99 to a Siro 2008 metal antenna, I hear the difference is night and day in recive,etc......

 

[tchr01]

Isn't the pro comm pat 12 also a fiberglass antenna also,if so would not the same problem exist?? Just Curious........

yep sure is. Could use it to eliminate the A99 as having some unique property thats picking up the noise maybe.. It sounds like a man-made source (not to mention sounding like the wheel spinning on Wheel of Fortune !). I'm going over this weekend to help flip breakers and battery test I think.

 

[Jay Mojave]

Hello tchr01: Gee whiz never heard that type of noise before. If its not coming from the house after the battery test, might want to drive around the neighbor hood and sniff around and see what you can pick up.

We had frying bacon power line noise come in one day but it was varying in signal strength, it was skipping in from some were far away from the north direction. Neve heard it again, or before. Radio noise seems to a different animal every time you get it, so don't be frustrated if you can't find it and fix it right off.

Please let us know how you trouble shot the noise problem, and what you find for the fix. Good luck.

Jay in the Grate Mojave Desert

 

[snippits75]

Sounds like to me power line transformer noise. Also, it could be a cable company amplifier spazzing out. I saw the cable company van coming down my road the other day, and he had an antenna pointed out the window looking for leaks.

Personally, I had a cable amplifier on the main line spazzing out periodically. Cable tech would adjust it, but days later it would act up again. Went on for a while until I called, and told them the amplifier was more than likely broadcasting on aircraft channels. Airport is about 1.5 miles from me as the crow flies, and they come near my house when the planes are making a descent to the runways.

Also, check around your neighborhood for new installed solar panels. PowerHome Solar company installed solar panels for a neighbor of mine. My radio was not useable during daylight hours because of a steady 9+ noise level. This went on for about 14 months, and he finally got them to fix the problem. Now I can hear again during daytime hours.

 

[tchr01]

Sounds like to me power line transformer noise. Also, it could be a cable company amplifier spazzing out. I saw the cable company van coming down my road the other day, and he had an antenna pointed out the window looking for leaks.

Personally, I had a cable amplifier on the main line spazzing out periodically. Cable tech would adjust it, but days later it would act up again. Went on for a while until I called, and told them the amplifier was more than likely broadcasting on aircraft channels. Airport is about 1.5 miles from me as the crow flies, and they come near my house when the planes are making a descent to the runways.

Also, check around your neighborhood for new installed solar panels. PowerHome Solar company installed solar panels for a neighbor of mine. My radio was not useable during daylight hours because of a steady 9+ noise level. This went on for about 14 months, and he finally got them to fix the problem. Now I can hear again during daytime hours.

Good call on the CATV boxes. I see them hanging on poles.. giant gray things. What was the fix for the solar panels? There is a pole right across the street from his house that has a can shaped gray transformer on it too..

 

[tchr01]

Ok just talked to my dad. sent me some more video clips. Looks like the click sound is only on sideband. When switching back to AM, he gets an S3 base noise (sounds more or less normal, hes in a suburb), but when switching to LSB, the clicking starts booming in.

Also mentioned the across the street neighbor just had solar installed on their house a few months ago! Once we do the breaker test, I think I may know our next move.. we will see ...

I see these things all over Palomar in various sizes and shapes and frequency support... I see they are for feed line common mode noise.. if we find out the house is not the culprit will this help say right below the antenna feed point? or is something like solar or power transformer noise just too in your face here?

Coax Common Mode Noise Filter - 500 Watts PEP, 1-60 MHz, -38dB Common Mode Noise Suppression! - Store - Palomar Engineers®

[powr-tabs id="bf138402_1607284615"]

palomar-engineers.com

 

[Crawdad]

Any solar panel set-ups nearby?

Any and all power supplies are always worth checking..............

Cheap wall warts.
Cheap LED light bulbs.
The list is nearly endless nowdays.

 

[BJ radionut]

Any solar panel set-ups nearby?

Also mentioned the across the street neighbor just had solar installed on their house a few months ago!

That noise does not sound like any power line noise, I have ever heard. That is a "device" of some kind generating that.

Also, check around your neighborhood for new installed solar panels. PowerHome Solar company installed solar panels for a neighbor of mine. My radio was not useable during daylight hours because of a steady 9+ noise level. This went on for about 14 months, and he finally got them to fix the problem. Now I can hear again during daytime hours.

Turning off all lights (nothing)

Touch Lamps: Even when turned off can generate lots, lots of garbage!
Air purifiers ... Bug zappers ... daylight/nightlight photocells
The list can be extensive. Best to check if there is a "pattern" for interference. Time of day/night only ... 24/7...only certain hours of day?
Hearing on SSB and not AM strange, guessing ambient noise level covering the "clicking" sound on AM. Your ambient level seems way high...S5+ all the time???

 

[brandon7861]

I agree that it is not from the power lines. That noise has a 30Hz component and a 500Hz component to it. Power line noise (here in the US where we use 60Hz) is at 120Hz because the arcing happens at both the positive and negative peaks. I did not see any 120Hz signal in that noise.

I would drive around with a radio and see where the signal gets louder. It might be that solar install next door, it might be a new fancy electric fence system, could be a few things...

 

[BJ radionut]

new fancy electric fence system

Underground PET Fence!!!

 

[Crawdad]

Dimmer switches are another source.

The inverters used in those solar array systems can radiate a very rhythmic pulsing type QRM. Or just straight hash. Take your pick.