Hi, everyone.

In response to this thread, I'm re-sending something that I think I posted
to the list back in the Spring of 2014.

The following link appeared in the Wednesday: April 2 2014 edition of the
Handiham World Weekly E-letter.
 
The link helps you listen to, and hopefully identify common sources of RFI
that may be getting into your ham radio equipment:

http://www.arrl.org/sounds-of-rfi

The sound files are excellent and quite interesting!

P.S.  As far as I know, it is not possible to send attachments on this list,
so maybe Eric can figure out another way to send those sound files to
illustrate what he is experiencing.


Tom Behler: KB8TYJ

-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Mike Keithley
Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2015 4:50 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: I Think I Know What Ham Radio in Hell Sounds Like.

If you can send attachments on this list, those recordinds would be
appreciated.

----- Original Message -----
From: Eric Oyen  <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Thursday, October 15, 2015 1:34 pm
Subject: Re: I Think I Know What Ham Radio in Hell Sounds Like.

>
>
> grow lights are not the only noise maker. believe me, I have a 
> plethora = of sources around my neighborhood. Firstly, the 12 Kv 
> overhead power = lines. THose things buzz 24/7 and are particularly 
> loud on 80 and 160. = That is not I can handle that with an MFJ-1025 
> noise cancellation unit. = Its some of the others that I have 
> difficulty with (like the plasma TV = my neighbor has, or the Tivo 
> unit out in the front room that throws = spurs all over the spectrum 
> from 14 Mhz all the way up into the 2 meter = band. I need to make 
> some recordings of all these types of noises and = see what you all make
of them.
> 
> DE n7zzt Eric
> 
> On Oct 15, 2015, at 10:38 AM, Martin McCormick wrote:
> 
> > 	I benge-read "QST's" and am all caught up including  October.
> >=20
> > 	By the way, there are numerous references in those issues  to the 
> >blistering interference caused by non-type-excepted grow  light 
> >balists. I think that is what is tearing up radio reception  around 
> >here but I am not sure.
> >=20
> > 	I started noticing it a couple of years ago while  listening to 
> >Sporadic E television skip from Mexico and thought  it was a 
> >switching power supply of mine until I unplugged it and  the BZZZZ 
> >continued unchanged.
> >=20
> > 	This trash is pretty solid between the high end of ten  meters and 
> >roughly 70 MHZ. It is as if you had a 130-volt power  sub station in 
> >your back yard or had welders continuously working  right under the 
> >antenna.
> >=20
> > 	It goes and goes for hours then abruptly quits in both  Winter and 
> >Summer, day and night. It doesn't seem to follow any  particular 
> >pattern except a general one of being more common on  work days. I 
> >have heard it on for as few as 4 or 5 minutes but  normally, it is 
> >buzzing and crackling 24/7.
> >=20
> > 	The "QST" articles said that some of the dodgy balists  emit 50 DB 
> >more noise than they should and a single one can be  heard for over 
> >half a mile.
> >=20
> > 	Our house is two blocks South of the university campus  and the 
> >veterinary school is the closest large complex. I haven't  gotten a 
> >fix on the megabuzz yet but lots of folks around here  grow plants of 
> >both the legal and quite illegal variety. That  buzzing sound could 
> >be somebody's brain on drugs and they finally  shorted it out. I wish 
> >a thunder storm would hurry up and shorten  it's life so one can hear 
> >actual radio signals again.
> >=20
> > 	One of the articles I read said that when the light first  comes 
> >on, there is a burbling sound as the fluorescent tube  first ionizes. 
> >I hadn't heard that, but there is sometimes a  brief burst of racket, 
> >maybe a fifth of a second of relative  quiet and then we're off and 
> >running for who knows how long.
> >=20
> > 	The article said that some of the grow lights in question  are a 
> >kilowatt in power. I guess they could duplicate Marconi's  
> >transatlantic test and this time, the spark is contained in the  
> >glass tube.
> >=20
> > Martin