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Re: [RFI] Broadcast station RFI Mixing

To: "rfi@contesting.com" <rfi@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [RFI] Broadcast station RFI Mixing
From: "Util.RFI.pro" <utility.rfi.pro@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Apr 2014 13:06:32 -0400
List-post: <rfi@contesting.com">mailto:rfi@contesting.com>
I've been reading this thread with some interest as I recently had to prosecute 
an interference case for a ham who was experiencing peculiar interference on 
specific frequencies and portions of the 80 meter and 40 meter bands. 

I listened to his receiver and could tell from the sound of the interference 
that he was experiencing the mixing of continuous transmissions most likely AM 
broadcast. I surveyed the area around the customer's home listening on the same 
frequencies on which the customer was hearing the (now confirmed) mixes. 

Within a short time I had pinpointed 3 places where the mixes were occurring: 
1) a utility pole near one of the two AM broadcast antenna sites; 2) another 
utility pole fairly close to the customer's home and; 3) a house next door to 
the customer's. 

I didn't do anything about source #1. Source #2 turned out to be a joint 
between the top of a "downguy" and the eyebolt to which it was attached. 
Repositioning the loose downguy eliminated the mix and silenced that source. 
Source #3 was very difficult to pinpoint and disappeared a few days later as 
temperature and humidity changed. I was pretty sure one of the gutters along 
the front of the neighbor's house was the source of this closest mix. 

All 3 sources vanished as the weather conditions changed. Temperature and 
humidity definitely affect the character of whatever gap is rectifying and 
retransmitting the mix. 

Like most other sources of interference, good direction finding skills will 
reveal the source. Once you know what and where the source is, finding a 
solution becomes easier. Ultimately, equipping oneself with the right tools to 
DF sources at any frequency and practicing enough to make locating sources 
fairly quick makes it possible to most effectively and quickly begin the 
resolution process. 

73, 

Frank N. Haas KB4T
Utility RFI Investigator


> On Apr 20, 2014, at 3:52 AM, Jim Brown <jim@audiosystemsgroup.com> wrote:
> 
>> On 4/20/2014 12:14 AM, Dale J. wrote:
>> I have a similar situation here, two radio stations one about a mile and is 
>> 10KW with the pattern North covering the entire Twin City area, the other 
>> station is about 8 miles is a 50 KW station.
> 
> These mixes can be ANYWHERE -- in the transmitters of the stations 
> themselves, or in rectification in any non-linear junction. I experienced 
> them in a very dense part of Chicago and never chased them down.
> 
> To do that, you must drive/walk around and do a location on the source, 
> listening on the frequency(ies) where you hear the mix.
> 
> 73. Jim K9YC
> 
> 
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