Hi Tom,

Somehow I missed previous responses to your question, so I hope I'm not 
repeating them.  First, I'd try plugging the power strip in to another 
outlet  just in case the outlet your currently connected to happens to share 
the line with the airconditioner.  Next, you could try a couple of those 
snap together ferrite donuts, one at the thermostat and the other at the 
airconditioner itself.
Bob, [log in to unmask], K8LR
Skype Name: bobtinn
Life is GOOD!

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "T Behler" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, July 28, 2006 1:19 PM
Subject: [BLIND-HAMS] continuing RFI problems in travel trailer


Hi, all.

I hate to bug everyone again about this, but I continue to have a nagging
RFI problem in the 18-foot Fleetwood Pioneer travel trailer that my XYL and
I recently purchased.

To review, when operating HF, I tend to cut off the air conditioner whenever
keying up on CW.  I don't trip the GFI circuit breaker--I just cut the unit
off, and it eventually re-sets itself and resumes normal operation within a
few minutes.  The problem occurs mainly on 20 meters, although it does occur
on certain frequencies in other bands as well.  I have found the problem to
occur even when reducing my power from 100 watts, say to 50 watts.

My HF rig is an Icom 718, and my antenna is a Predator screw-driver-type
antenna mounted on the back of the trailer.  I use a device called the
Turbo-tuner, to be sure that the antenna is indeed resonant on my operating
frequency.

The antenna itself is grounded to the bumper of the trailer, and I have
installed two other grounds.  One is a ground from the 718 to the frame of
the trailer, and the other ground is an earth ground that runs from the rig
to a grounding stake outside of the trailer.

I am getting more and more stumped with this problem, although I have two
additional thoughts.  Let me run them by you here;  I just don't want to
spend more money unnecessarily on this problem:

1.  I run the 718 with an MFJ Mighty Lite switching power supply.  I think
it's the 4125--it has 25 amps surge, and 22 amps continuous.  Could this
type of supply be causing the problem via some sort of stray current flow?
Should I try an old transformer-type supply, such as an Astron RS20, to see
if the problem disappears?

2.  I have the rig's power supply plugged into a relatively inexpensive
power strip, since I sometimes plug my laptop into it as well.  Is there a
higher-quality power strip that I might want to look at?  Some have
suggested a power strip with something called a power isolator in it, but
I'm not quite sure what it is.

Please give me your feedback on both of these possible suggested solutions.
Or, if you have any other suggestions, please send them to me.

Some have suggested trying to put a capacitor across the leads of the
trailer's thermostat unit, but I really am hesitant to do that, at the risk
of somehow voiding the warranty on the temperature control system.

Thanks for anything you can suggest.

73 from Tom Behler:  KB8TYJ, Big Rapids, MI