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Re: [RFI] Noise Level During Power Outage

To: rfi@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RFI] Noise Level During Power Outage
From: Pete Smith N4ZR <pete.n4zr@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2023 09:25:51 -0500
List-post: <mailto:rfi@contesting.com>
I am green with envy - my local line noise is currently "only" S5

73, Pete N4ZR

On 2/1/2023 12:26 AM, K9MA wrote:
That table didn't come out very well at all. Here's a link to the pdf:

https://sdellington.us/hr/RFI/Power%20Outage.pdf

73,
Scott K9MA

On 1/31/2023 11:21 PM, K9MA wrote:
My QTH is in an older residential area, surrounded by overhead power lines. Line noise is a constant problem. We recently had a major power outage, so I measured the noise levels to get a baseline with little line noise. (See below, assuming it comes through.) The outage was pretty large: there was no power within a kilometer or so, perhaps further to the west. The levels I measured shortly after power was restored the next morning are fairly typical lately. To the NE, it wasn't so bad, only increasing 5-8 dB when the power came on. West was much worse, 7-19 dB. I've long known there was a major noise source to the west. I guess it's time to track it down.

I suspect these levels are fairly typical of a residential area with overhead lines. They would probably be worse if I hadn't been doing battle with the utility for the past 30 years to get the worst of the sources fixed. One thing this data shows, which I've long suspected, is that the distribution lines are the major source of noise. There are some transmission lines just a few hundred meters away, but I've never traced any significant noise to them.

It may say something about the sad state of our utility's infrastructure: A car knocked down a pole about 1 km from my QTH, and it took out the power up to 2 km away, with power surges causing extensive damage to appliances, etc. (None at my place.) Just down the street, far from the downed pole, we had a major fireworks show and nearby a transformer exploded. Apparently, similar things happened throughout the affected area. Did they forget the fuses?

73,

Scott K9MA


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