Interesting Pan and Waterfall - Anyone else have this?

K7JV

Bob Needleman

The first thing I'd do is ditch that switching PS. Get a good linear supply (like an Astron 35A) - one less source of RFI. Check YouTube - I recall seeing a video posted by someone who used a portable SW receiver to 'sniff' out sources of RFI, quite effectively. GL/73 K3AC

Mark_WS7M

I vote the following:

1) Get linear supply.  Astron 35 is what I use.  I do have some singulex supplied that seem ok but the fans are little noisy.

2) Ring cameras.  That is sad.  I have a ring doorbell but for my outside cams I'm using REOLink cams using POE.  Luckily I have not seen noise from them but I honestly have not looked.

One option for you would be to buy a remote power switch and simply disable the ring cameras while operating, turn them back on when you are done.  If you bought an IP switch you could do this from your shack PC.

3) I am hopeful to hear something from you on a less noisy antenna.   For me I generally have a good noise floor.  I am running an 80m loop which is pretty good. But someday the HOA may force me to take it down.  I'll fight them if they do but I could go to verticals mounted around the yard.  If I do that I would love to know how the Mag Loop antennas work.  I think they must be better than a vertical.

Mike Smoot

K7JV

Thank you, Mark.  Actually the switching supply spikes aren't a receive audio problem.  If I didn't have a waterfall and a panadapter, I wouldn't know they were there.  It was just good to identify what the little spikes were "about".  And the RF chokes on the DC out conductors snuffed the majority of it.  I do like that the swtiching power supply runs quite a bit cooler than either of the two, big analog power supplies that I have.

I agree, I could shut down the cameras pretty easily, as we have a pretty extensive Zwave nework running in our home, already and am doing a lot of that sort of thing.  Fortunately, I'm not getting any QRM from the VERA and the Zwave stuff.

As for the antenna, I'm awaiting delivery of a 24' flagpole antenna from Greyline.  I have high hopes.  We are in our second subdivision with strict CC&R's, so I've been using an attic mounted B&W folded dipole for 25 years now.  It's never done well, and the noise has been incessant, at both homes.  I'm really looking forward to the flagpole that I actually got approved by the HOA architectural committee.  Yay!

K7JV

I don't disagree, but the QRM from the switching supply really isn't an issue.  It's more of a visual issue on the panadapter than it is an audio issue on receive.  And the RF chokes did a real nice job of snuffing most of the interference from it.  So I'm good.  I do like that it runs cooler than either the big Yaesu or Kenwood supplies that I have.  FYI, the swithcing supply is what FLEX offers as one of their power supply options.

K7JV

Great idea, Mike, I will do that.  Thank you.  :-)

Patrick

K7JV

You've been down quite the path and it sounds like you've had some very real wins.  You mentioned common mode noise.  I put huge hope in a little common mode filter made by Palomar.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, it appears that what I have is not common mode, or it was beyond the capabilities of their filter.

As for your power company, I hope they will be there for you.  If your electrical service in your area is overhead power lines, there are lots of opportunities for generating QRM.  If it is underground, I would not expect them to be a likely culprit.  If it is their stuff doing it to you, they are bound by the FCC to respond to legitimate complaints.  They may need to be reminded of that, but hopefully not.  In our area, Idaho Power has a group that actually deals with that sort of thing, and they are good at it.

Patrick

One thing is for sure, once you get the local noise under control the rest of the world rears it’s ugly face.....I’m not through with the local electric company.  It is a cooperative so technically I am a part owner. But It does mean that they listen.  I worked for six years of my working life finding and evaluating electrical/RF noise of all types.  So we will see.