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Author Topic: RFI & my neighbors: A short story.  (Read 7699 times)
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N6YW
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« on: January 05, 2015, 07:05:08 PM »

It can happen to any of us and I am now an expert on the subject of renewal of neighborly friendships that have been damaged by RFI issues. Please read on.

We were both right and wrong at the same time.
Me, being the pompous know it all Radio Amateur reasoned that it was his problem.
He, being the silver spoon in his mouth Doctor next door felt it was my problem.
Then one day after I had given him a bag full of RFI remedies complete with instructions,
I didn't hear a peep out of him. I figured all was well. 6 months later I get a knock on my door and it's him, complete with a real case of needing an attitude adjustment. We locked horns and I nearly went to jail that night, but fortunately that was not the case. We were both very upset and for good reason. I slept on it and with a substantial installment of reasoning from my wife, I took the high road and went next door and apologized for being a prick, and that it was my intention to fix the problem once and for all. I was surprised that he felt the same way and wanted nothing more than to restore our neighborly relations. He agreed to my plan of having one of my good friends who works for ATT Wireless as a field inspector to assist me in resolving the issue. We booked the date and here is what we did:
I bought several types of RFI chokes from my good friend AK6R who now owns and operates Palomar who supplies Ferrite products. I also obtained a quantity of the plug in RFI filters for telephone lines. We used a pair of Handi Talkies and went through all of the areas of the complaints, telephones and speakers. I manned my station while he was at the neighbors house and went through the list of complaint items.
I went QRO on 75 & 40 meter SSB and AM where the complaints seem to have been the norm.
One by one we checked everything off the list and by using the Handi Talkies, we where able to test and communicate with each other. The Ferrite chokes did their job and to my immense relief, this problem has been resolved. We both learned a lot from this and more important, we now smile and shake hands without bristling with contempt for each other. All it took was the right attitude and willingness to work together. I should have titled this story, "How to make enemies and influence your neighbors" but alas I leave you with a more positive approach and that is: It's just as easy to be nice as it is to be a prick" of which I certainly was at the wrong time. My reward is that I can now operate my station without worrying about the neighbor and my better half is happy too, which is job one.
Does anyone have any stories to share on this subject?
73 de Billy N6YW
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flintstone mop
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« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2015, 08:49:56 PM »

YOU were lucky that the guy had enough sense to let you try to work this problem out and resolve it. Some folks just want the Ham op to cease and desist. And we are warned NOT to try to modify the complainer's equipment cuz he/she will come back to you when the device fails.
Glad to read that all is well and it took some ferrite cores to silence those malfunctioning radio receivers. Basically junk that malfunctions in the presence of an RF field.


Fred
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Fred KC4MOP
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« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2015, 09:31:26 PM »

YOU were lucky that the guy had enough sense to let you try to work this problem out and resolve it. Some folks just want the Ham op to cease and desist. And we are warned NOT to try to modify the complainer's equipment cuz he/she will come back to you when the device fails.
Glad to read that all is well and it took some ferrite cores to silence those malfunctioning radio receivers. Basically junk that malfunctions in the presence of an RF field.


Fred

Fred...
No kidding! I think he figured this out once he realized how technical our jargon was, Hi!
But, he being a Doctor realized that the schematics of all things regarding technology requires understanding. I am certainly happy for the result. Man, I am lucky in this regard. Where I live, there plenty of people who could apply the legal pressure with a well stocked check book, including my neighbor. Then again, the battle has two sides and fortunately the side of us Amateurs won this time.
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KD6VXI
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« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2015, 11:15:49 PM »

Palomar engineers is a good place to go,  but MUCH less expensive to purchase direct from Amidon.

People should read,  and use as a handout,  the k9ay rf pdf.   Filled with good info,  as well as the Amidon part numbers,  which mixes work well for what frequencies,  etc.

And free for the download!

--Shane
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ka4koe
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« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2015, 07:42:58 AM »

My son would've dropped the alpha hotel with his SMLE......

OR

http://kf7p.com/KF7P/Ordering.html
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« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2015, 10:36:27 AM »

RFI in the neighborhood can sometimes be a contributor to creative results.  My neighbor down the street has a recording studio in his house.  During the Heavy Metal Rally activity, he received my AM signal quite well on his guitar pick-ups.  He decided that it was good program material for his "funky" song creation and sent the attached MP3 recording to me via an unexpected email.  Quite a creative and talented guy!  How many hams can claim to have a song written with their transmissions in the background?  No royalties, though....amateur radio being a service for non-pecuniary interests, you know. :-)

73,  Jack, W9GT

* Golf_Tango_Radio (1).mp3 (4053.14 KB - downloaded 444 times.)
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73, Jack, W9GT
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« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2015, 10:41:06 AM »

Glad it worked out.

I think ur lucky that he was a) educated, b) amenable to reason.

(not to mention that you had a friend with some credential you could flash and handhelds to use!)

It's more likely that the guy who is doing the complaining - keep in mind that a proper person would
have been polite and asked/inquired first if there might be some way to overcome the problem - is
not interested in what you have to say, what the problem is, or how to fix it. In addition there's always
a good chance that his cousin, buddy, or associate happens to be a cop, inspector, on the planning/zoning board, etc. and
he is going to do everything in his/her power to make your life a living hell.

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flintstone mop
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« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2015, 10:51:51 AM »

RFI in the neighborhood can sometimes be a contributor to creative results.  My neighbor down the street has a recording studio in his house.  During the Heavy Metal Rally activity, he received my AM signal quite well on his guitar pick-ups.  He decided that it was good program material for his "funky" song creation and sent the attached MP3 recording to me via an unexpected email.  Quite a creative and talented guy!  How many hams can claim to have a song written with their transmissions in the background?  No royalties, though....amateur radio being a service for non-pecuniary interests, you know. :-)

73,  Jack, W9GT

That's a hoot!! Nice arrangement and effects from RFI. CQ CQ!!
His studio must be a house or two away from your antenna. A ferrite core near the guitar player might have cleaned up the RFI.
Fred
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« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2015, 11:24:47 AM »

I loved the track! What an appropriate reply to this thread.
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« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2015, 03:00:16 PM »

!!!

It's going to end up in the audio section....

klc
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ka4koe
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« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2015, 03:11:21 PM »

This is a neat recording!!!
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« Reply #11 on: July 22, 2018, 09:59:02 AM »

RFI in the neighborhood can sometimes be a contributor to creative results.  My neighbor down the street has a recording studio in his house.  During the Heavy Metal Rally activity, he received my AM signal quite well on his guitar pick-ups.  He decided that it was good program material for his "funky" song creation and sent the attached MP3 recording to me via an unexpected email.  Quite a creative and talented guy!  How many hams can claim to have a song written with their transmissions in the background?  No royalties, though....amateur radio being a service for non-pecuniary interests, you know. :-)

73,  Jack, W9GT

I just ran into this guy in the neighborhood the other day.  He asked if I was the notorious Gulf Tango.  Of course, I admitted to that distinction and we had a short, but pleasant conversation.  He didn't mention any recent new recordings, but this one was sure interesting.  :-)

73,  Jack, W9GT
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« Reply #12 on: July 22, 2018, 10:42:29 AM »

For whatever reason no neighbor has ever complained to me about their equipment receiving signals it isn't intended to. Hope it never happens. I'm not so sure how to deal with interference to badly made equipment, each case is very different and I believe in the idea of not messing with peoples' TV sets etc because then they will come calling when the device fails. It's especially true in areas with poorly educated or ignorant persons. The woman across the street used to blame me for the power going out. It would fail, my big noisy generator would start, and with my lights being the only ones on she believed I had a machine that sucked up all the electricity.
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« Reply #13 on: July 22, 2018, 11:28:39 AM »

I had in the Netherlands also my share of RFI problems. My neighbor had some RFI in his stereo which I could solve easily with some ferrite ring cores in the LS wiring. But than he wanted to buy a electronic organ. He absolutely wasn't able the get the amount of volume out of his instrument that I could with my KWS1. I almost blew the speakers. So I advised that the salesman came in order to investigate and to try to solve the problem. We did the same, some small toy 27 MHz walkies of a few mW to communicate.
The salesman was afraid to loose his sales and started to behave like a prick, so I came down. Than I pushed the walky PTT  and the instrument started making sound !!! (a few mWatts) He opened the instrument and it was like a spider web inside. Hundreds of wires all around. I heard something and asked to turn up the volume. We heard a few shortwave stations!!!
So that I became the prick towards the salesman and said that he shouldn't try to sell trash that doesn't comply to anything and pass the resulting problems to his clients. That the instrument was more sensitive than my shortwave receivers.
The neighbor lost his trust in the sales and the salesman did take the trash with him. The bought an other one that was clean so my neighbor now has more trust in me and we did live happy ever after (etc..etc..)
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