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Re: [RFI] Pole mounted lightning arresters?

To: rfi@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RFI] Pole mounted lightning arresters?
From: Charles Plunk <af4o@twc.com>
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2021 17:35:06 -0600
List-post: <mailto:rfi@contesting.com>
Update;

After logging weather conditions related to the noise. The first few hours of a rain, I can still hear it although its not as constant. After that and a good rain it stops. Then it takes >36 hours of rain free weather for it to return. Lower humidity also makes it return more in force. Last 3 rains this has happened.

I did something today I have never done before in years past or this time. Taking advice from one on this excellent reflector. I listened to the noise on one HT on UHF being re transmitted with mic at my hf rigs speaker (30 meters, low noise level but strong arc rfi). RF gain turned down and volume up on hf to maximize the arc noise. Then used my 145mhz HT on AM and 3 element tape measure beam. Comparing the noise of both HTs to ensure I had the correct noise, this lead me to triangulate a different pole. Just triangulating for max noise does not work. Seems most all the poles have some noise getting within 10-25' of them.

About the time I got the ultrasonic dish out, the noise ceased. Then when it came back, the volume pot/on/off switch broke on my ultrasonic. So stopping for the night. And supposed to rain tomorrow.

Oh the pole now suspect is at the corner of my back yard....may go out tonight and take pictures of it to see if any arc shows up. May get lucky. Thats if the arc is present. This pole does not have a street light but does have lightning arrestors also and is 3 phase also up the line from the other pole. One end of my doublet is less than 20' from this pole....

Stay tuned.

Chuck

AF4O



On 1/11/21 1:20 PM, Charles Plunk wrote:
Long Story but will try to keep it to my point. I have triangulated my power line arc to a pole. Fairly typical 3 phase old residential but busy pole. Insulators, disconnects, lightning arresters, a transformer, etc. Pole is a junction as the 3 phase goes off in 3 directions from that pole. Arc is not affected by rain. And I cannot hear it with my ultrasonic dish. In the past I have pinpointed bad hardware on other poles with the dish.

I suspect the lightning arresters. There are 3 on there, one for each phase and I assume very little way I could tell which one. Rural utility, knows little about and/or is not concerned about arc rfi other than past dealings with me and TVA (power distributor who does have rfi location capabilities but is rather difficult to get them out to do).

And now the arc is intermittent. Today its pulsing about every second. Next week it may get solid for a while or go away entirely. And of course if TVA comes out, it will be gone.

What hardware, other than lightning arresters (arcing internally) would not be affected by rain and I could not hear with the dish?

Would it be reasonable enough to ask the util to replace the lightning arresters before bugging TVA?

Any thoughts appreciated.

Thanks,
Chuck
AF4O

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