Yes, there is the Israeli-developed daytime corona (uv) camera and there is
also another similarly-functioning camera that was developed in South Africa.
Both cameras are quite expensive, but the results from using them are quite
remarkable. Some electric utilities use them for such RFI searches; once the
problem structure has been identified, this technology can help narrow down
what hardware needs attention. For example, it can be used to identify where a
ground lead is arcing to a staple because the wood pole has shrunk over time,
thereby creating a small gap.
Dave, KA8MHW
> On Apr 17, 2021, at 12:00 PM, rfi-request@contesting.com wrote:
>
> This is an EXTERNAL email. STOP. THINK before you CLICK links or OPEN
> attachments. If suspicious please click the 'Report to Incidents' button in
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: Fwd: I could see the arcs with binoculars last night!
> (Resolved?) (k1ttt.dave@gmail.com)
> 2. Re: KC2IEB?s RFI Journey (David Eckhardt)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2021 06:41:29 -0400
> From: <k1ttt.dave@gmail.com>
> To: "Rfi" <rfi@contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [RFI] Fwd: I could see the arcs with binoculars last
> night! (Resolved?)
> Message-ID: <008601d73376$39e622e0$adb268a0$@gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> There is also a UV camera developed, I heard, originally by the Israel
> military to detect rocket exhaust. We had one at the EPRI lab I worked at.
> It was actually 2 cameras in one that were lined up to overlap the images,
> one gave a normal view of the equipment, the other had a very narrow uv
> filter that let you see the corona in daylight that was then overlayed on the
> normal view so you could see what was causing it.
>
> David Robbins K1TTT
> e-mail: mailto:k1ttt@arrl.net
> web:
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://wiki.k1ttt.net__;!!H3PqUTRkow!sMy0HlqGMy_DjPLwfaPEuIpUN5nxiPCImw63IETOS9n7_CQmW0XhFR-cdIYHxw$
>
> AR-Cluster node: telnet://k1ttt.net:7373
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: RFI <rfi-bounces+k1ttt=arrl.net@contesting.com> On Behalf Of AA5CT via
> RFI
> Sent: Friday, April 16, 2021 23:52
> To: rfi@contesting.com; Don <kb5kwv@gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [RFI] Fwd: I could see the arcs with binoculars last night!
> (Resolved?)
>
>
> UV will show up corona; Infrared will show 'hot' hardware, but not sparking
> or arcing as UV does.
>
> There was an article on this some years back. It was quite informative.
>
> Maybe search for same?
>
> de AA5CT Jim
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Friday, April 16, 2021, 5:08:29 PM GMT-5, Don <kb5kwv@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> There are a couple ways to use a cell phone as a FLIR.
>
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://tectogizmo.com/4-ways-to-turn-your-cell-phone-into-a-thermal-camera/__;!!H3PqUTRkow!sMy0HlqGMy_DjPLwfaPEuIpUN5nxiPCImw63IETOS9n7_CQmW0XhFR8txojI_Q$
>
>
> Otherwise, check your ham club for a volenteer fire fighter. Some departments
> have one to see the hot spots in a fire.
>
> -------- Forwarded Message --------
> Subject: Re: [RFI] I could see the arcs with binoculars last night!
> (Resolved?)
> Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2021 21:28:14 +0000
> From: n0tt1@juno.com
> To: af4o@twc.com, RFI@contesting.com
>
>
>
> "Still looking at night vision toys, lol."
>
> Chuck,
>
> When I had my garage floor "mud-jacked" with a hot mix of "plastic", one of
> the guys had a tablet computer with it's built-in camera that was sensitive
> to infared. He showed me where the hot mix was going under the concrete on
> the screen.
> Now I'm thinking that something similar would show any higher temperature
>
> areas on any powerline hardware.
>
> There might be a "app" for that for use with a cellphone....just thinking out
> loud. :O)
>
> 73,
> Charlie, N0TT
>
> On Fri, 16 Apr 2021 02:24:08 -0500 Charles Plunk <af4o@twc.com> writes:
>> Dave,
>>
>> Yes I would try the binoculars. Surely cannot hurt. One difficultly I
>> had was a streetlight in my front yard is LED and another is mercury
>> about 200' in another direction. They would reflect off shiny hardware
>> like insulators and fool me into thinking it was arcs but when I saw
>> the tiny arc between the wire and that square washer I realized that
>> indeed was very likely an arc as that stuff is dull and not that
>> reflective.
>>
>> Chasing this stuff is certainly time consuming but can be rewarding.
>> This group is the best around. Their tip to match the noise somehow
>> was my big breakthrough. Doing that was not easy but that one day when
>> the noise had a distinctive pattern and I was able to listen at the
>> same time to the retransmitted audio from my station receiver on one
>> HT and to my triangulation audio on another HT made the difference in
>> finding the right pole. Lots of noise out there that will mislead you.
>> Other poles, houses, etc many seem to all have noise if you get close
>> enough but may not be affecting your station receiver significantly.
>>
>> Then ultrasonic and the flashlight. Still looking at night vision
>> toys, lol.
>>
>> My utility was great! They were on the front page of the local paper
>> this week for their reliability rating. The new CEO must have it going on.
>>
>> 73
>>
>> Chuck
>> AF4O
>>
>>> On 4/15/21 11:05 PM, David Decoons wrote:
>>> Hi Chuck,
>>>
>>> Thanks for the detailed description of your problem and how you were
>> able to find it. I have power line noise prevalent when dry and windy.
>> You can watch the noise floor jump up and down. When it rains or not
>> windy it usually is not present. When present the noise floor on 40
>> and 15 meters is 20 to 25 dB higher. Using the Flex Wide Noise Blanker
>> I can get the noise to drop almost to normal, but as the arcing comes
>> and goes rapidly with windy day the WNB keeps trying to reobtain lock.
>>>
>>> I have narrowed it down to what I think is a single pole on right
>> front corner of my property. I will try the binocular trick at night.
>> It is supposed to be windy tomorrow with drying conditions.
>>>
>>> The good thing is I know the person in charge of the group that
>> would respond to RFI noise complaints at the local utility company. He
>> has been very cooperative in the past.
>>>
>>> 73
>>> Dave wo2x
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>
>>>> On Apr 15, 2021, at 9:30 PM, Charles Plunk <af4o@twc.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> ?I notified the utility on Sunday evening. They come out today and
>> did the work. I will be updating the website below as I got a chance.
>> After such a long time I am hesitant to believe its fixed until
>> listening for about a month but it sure appears to be fixed. I am not
>> hearing a peep of the same noise.
>>>>
>>>> I have 2 doublets and a 6BTV vertical on HF, a 4 el 6m beam, and
>> some 2m beams and am hearing some noise on some bands on one and other
>> noise on the other bands on the other but nothing like the intensity
>> of the 120hz noise I was hearing on all of them. I am probably hearing
>> these noises now since they were masked by the other far more stronger
>> noise. At any rate these pale in comparison to the other and go away
>> for the most part at night as the humidity rises. Will chase them as I
>> get time. They may not even be 120hz.
>>>>
>>>> At any rate I am happy happy right now!
>>>>
>>>> 73
>>>>
>>>> Chuck
>>>> AF4O
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> On 4/11/21 1:47 PM, Charles Plunk wrote:
>>>>> Last night I tried my digital camera and binoculars. I could see
>> the arc's with binoculars! Looks like ground and neutral wires are to
>> close to other hardware. The digital camera captured one arc but was
>> so dark could not see the pole. Anyone ever use a night vision camera
>> like used for hunting etc for this?
>>>>>
>>>>> Updated details at
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.qsl.net/af4o/Powerline*20RFI*20QSL.net*20Webpage/Arc*20Webpag__;JSUlJQ!!H3PqUTRkow!sMy0HlqGMy_DjPLwfaPEuIpUN5nxiPCImw63IETOS9n7_CQmW0XhFR_Svx46Sg$
>
> e.html
>>>>>
>>>>> Great group here. Thanks for everyone's help!
>>>>>
>>>>> 73
>>>>>
>>>>> Chuck
>>>>> AF4O
>>>>>
>>>>> (Soon to be W4NBO, a call my Elmer (SK) had for 20 years)
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> RFI mailing list
>>>>> RFI@contesting.com
>>>>> https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi__;!!H3PqUTRkow!sMy0HlqGMy_DjPLwfaPEuIpUN5nxiPCImw63IETOS9n7_CQmW0XhFR9C4oZ1CA$
>>>>>
>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> RFI mailing list
>>>> RFI@contesting.com
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>>>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
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>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2021 15:57:01 +0000
> From: David Eckhardt <davearea51a@gmail.com>
> To: Hisashi T Fujinaka <htodd@twofifty.com>
> Cc: Christopher Wawak <kc2ieb@wawak.org>, Rfi List
> <rfi@contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [RFI] KC2IEB?s RFI Journey
> Message-ID:
> <CAODdWWHMFHKP_vJ0MKFc7kutSOPXGJq-0xTEETAB-pwsPFh1eg@mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
>
> You may have to totally enclose the electronics with aluminum foil. I used
> one of these a couple of months ago and had to do a major shielding job to
> get rid of the hum which overwhelmed the operation of the unit. You may
> also have to common (ground) the microphone mount, itself. It's quite a
> good instrument after some major surgery to basically place the electronics
> from the microphone mount through the electronics in a Faraday cage.
> Remember to treat all conductors in and out of that implanted Faraday cage
> within the cage. MFJ should have addressed this short coming, but plastic
> is the least expensive option.
>
> Dave - W?LEV
>
> On Sat, Apr 17, 2021 at 4:10 AM Hisashi T Fujinaka <htodd@twofifty.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Good to hear yours works with no mods. I was getting a lot of hum on
>> mine so I was thinking of modifying it. I like using MFJ equipment as a
>> starting point.
>>
>>> On Sat, 17 Apr 2021, David Eckhardt wrote:
>>>
>>> that is a good tool for coronal and arc discharges.
>>>
>>> Dave - W?LEV
>>>
>>> On Fri, Apr 16, 2021 at 9:31 PM Christopher Wawak <kc2ieb@wawak.org>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi all! I ended up splurging on this doohickey -
>>>> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://mfjenterprises.com/products/mfj-5008__;!!H3PqUTRkow!sMy0HlqGMy_DjPLwfaPEuIpUN5nxiPCImw63IETOS9n7_CQmW0XhFR84-4tJuQ$
>>>> . It's an ultra-sonic
>>>> receiver
>>>> that purports "to pick up the noise generated by the corona discharge
>> and
>>>> arcing connections". For those who may not be following my saga, I
>>>> determined using a portable SDR radio that the same noise that
>> obliterates
>>>> 40m up through 10m comes strongest from one of two electric poles near
>> my
>>>> house. No other poles exhibit the noise. Using the MFJ-5008, I
>> immediately
>>>> heard a very strong ringing from one of the two poles, which doesn't
>> show
>>>> up when I point it at other poles, houses, etc. There's a little sight
>> hole
>>>> you can use to pinpoint the noise, which I did - it seems near the top
>> of
>>>> the pole is where the sound is loudest. Very easy to use, and seemed to
>>>> work as advertised. Totally understand why this is expensive, it's a
>> very
>>>> niche item. I'll need to find a lot of RFI to make up the price tag, but
>>>> additional evidence helps!
>>>>
>>>> I called the power company, who initially said they'd have a crew out
>> in 4
>>>> hours. After days with no visit, and numerous calls to PSEG, they have
>> no
>>>> information to provide. I filed a complaint with the NJ Board of Public
>>>> Utilities asking that they follow up with PSEG and compel them to
>> consider
>>>> my complaint. If anyone has a contact with PSEG, I'd really appreciate a
>>>> connection off list.
>>>>
>>>> If folks are interested, I'll try to make a little video of using the
>>>> device. Also, if you're in the Southern NJ area and need to borrow it, I
>>>> accept beer! :)
>>>>
>>>> Thanks again for the help and moral support!
>>>>
>>>> 73 Chris KC2IEB
>>>>
>>>> On Sun, Apr 11, 2021 at 3:05 PM Christopher Wawak <kc2ieb@wawak.org>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Hi All!
>>>>>
>>>>> I wanted to share where I was currently with my noise issue.
>>>>>
>>>>> Surprise surprise, I don?t think it?s solar panel noise! After doing
>> some
>>>>> more direction finding, I seem to have nailed the source down to
>> either
>>>> my
>>>>> electric meter, or one of two telephone poles. Initially I used an
>> IC-705
>>>>> with the Flag antenna that was in QST recently and a DXE
>>>>> preamp/attenuators. Once I verified the signature of the same noise
>> that
>>>>> I?m getting in my antennas, I went back with a cheap AM antenna,
>> since it
>>>>> was easier to record a video.
>>>>>
>>>>> I do have an RFI log I can share on request.
>>>>>
>>>>> I?m curious what you all think of my radio direction finding based on
>> a
>>>>> short video I created.
>>>>>
>>>>> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://youtu.be/v3oJLtUBrlc__;!!H3PqUTRkow!sMy0HlqGMy_DjPLwfaPEuIpUN5nxiPCImw63IETOS9n7_CQmW0XhFR-_FZbBiw$
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> 73
>>>>> KC2IEB Chris
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sun, Mar 14, 2021 at 3:00 PM Christopher Wawak <chris@wawak.org>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi RFI List,
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I'm faced with S7-S9 noise across 40m-15m at 200khz intervals. I'm
>>>>>> looking for assistance resolving this RFI I suspect is coming from a
>>>>>> neighbor's solar installation. The owners are elderly, and I'm not
>> sure
>>>>>> they'll understand and be able to remedy the situation. HF is next to
>>>>>> unusable.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Some questions:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 0. So far, do I seem on the right path?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 1. What tactics have worked in the past with getting owners to
>> respond?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 2. Right now I have an AH-4 with a wire antenna. If I switched to,
>> say,
>>>> a
>>>>>> fan dipole or a beam antenna would i be able to reject the solar
>> panel
>>>>>> noise? If my antenna were higher up, would that help?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 3. Am I doomed to not have workable HF at home?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 73 Chris KC2IEB
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> (if the pictures are filtered, click here
>>>>>> <
>>>>
>> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSKoiPx-5huAG5M1gLmYFyMPRZ_WY0PxxoC-CH7c-dpXMQZzHuvLzNX2AB8_nb8RIsN7Ri0rmXJp6Ju/pub__;!!H3PqUTRkow!sMy0HlqGMy_DjPLwfaPEuIpUN5nxiPCImw63IETOS9n7_CQmW0XhFR9OkkYC-g$
>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> )
>>>>>>
>>>>>> RFI Location
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Appears to be coming from solar panels on a house behind my own,
>> about
>>>>>> 275? away. I traced this with a loop antenna and a cheap AM radio
>>>>>> following to where the noise seemed loudest.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Characteristics
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Heavy S7+ ?hash? noise every ~200 khz, starting around 40m and going
>> all
>>>>>> the way up through 15m.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Generally starts an hour or two after sunrise, and shuts down before
>>>>>> sunset.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Noise Log
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 3/13/2021
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 4:00 PM Local -
>>>>>> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQZr1xXIf0Y__;!!H3PqUTRkow!sMy0HlqGMy_DjPLwfaPEuIpUN5nxiPCImw63IETOS9n7_CQmW0XhFR9nNUDJbg$
>>>>>> whole
>> house
>>>>>> power off test @ 3:14 in the video - no improvement
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Gone by 7:53 PM
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 3/14/2021
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 8:38 am
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Some squiggles
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Showed up almost on the dot at 9am
>>>>>>
>>>>>> It?s moving down the band some
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Most noticeable from 20m on up
>>>>>>
>>>>>> .
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> -- Chris
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> RFI mailing list
>>>> RFI@contesting.com
>>>> https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi__;!!H3PqUTRkow!sMy0HlqGMy_DjPLwfaPEuIpUN5nxiPCImw63IETOS9n7_CQmW0XhFR9C4oZ1CA$
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> *Dave - W?LEV*
>>> *Just Let Darwin Work*
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> RFI mailing list
>>> RFI@contesting.com
>>> https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi__;!!H3PqUTRkow!sMy0HlqGMy_DjPLwfaPEuIpUN5nxiPCImw63IETOS9n7_CQmW0XhFR9C4oZ1CA$
>>>
>>
>> --
>> Hisashi T Fujinaka - htodd@twofifty.com
>> BSEE + BSChem + BAEnglish + MSCS + $2.50 = coffee
>>
>
>
> --
> *Dave - W?LEV*
> *Just Let Darwin Work*
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Subject: Digest Footer
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>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of RFI Digest, Vol 219, Issue 38
> ************************************
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