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[RFI] Tracking down 80M QRN

To: <rfi@contesting.com>
Subject: [RFI] Tracking down 80M QRN
From: K6NR@ARRL.net (Dana Roode)
Date: Sun, 08 Jul 2001 13:19:58 -0700
RFI folks --

I have a strong S9+ noise on 80m and 160m at my remote QTH in the desert
near Victorville, Ca.  Im not out there all the time, so its been tough
tracking it down.  There are 2.5 acre parcels and just a few houses in the
immediate area, so you wouldnt think it would be that hard.  The noise
sounds like something arcing irregularly.  I can hear it a bit on 20m and
up, but its not bad.  I can't peak it on my tribander, but it gets weaker
when the beam is pointed West to South.  There is no definite null.

Yesterday I took a portable SSB receiver and hooked it up to a small
directional loop antenna I have.  I could not hear the noise on the loop
much at all, except when I got near my 80m vertical, where it was
extremely strong.   The vertical is 40' tall with 17' top loading wires
fed with a matching coil and 38 66' insulated wire radials. When I
disconnected the coax (shorted at the time) from the antenna, the noise
got stronger.  When I disconnected the matching coil the noise got weaker.

Is this noise re-radiating off my vertical, or is there something amiss
with the vertical?

I have another trapped vertical and the noise is a lot weaker on that,
even though its only 100' away from the tall vertical.  I can't really
hear the noise on my small directional antenna, at least not within a few
hunded foot radius.

Any advice on tracking this down?

  Dana, K6NR

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