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Topband: Touch Lamp

To: <topband@contesting.com>
Subject: Topband: Touch Lamp
From: davidew@alphalink.com.au (David McAulay (VK3EW))
Date: Sun, 14 Jul 2002 13:36:56 +1000


Hi Greg and TopBanders

I recall having seen this request from a few years ago
and like any good Amateur I went looking in my Archives
and found this.
Hope it helps, BTW my wife bought one of these a few years ago
and I used to turn it on and off every time I was on 7mhz
she ended up giving it to the daughter for her birthday

73 David VK3EW





At 02:32 PM 7/14/02 +1200, Greg - ZL3IX wrote:
>Hi Guys,
>
>I have a particular problem that some of you may be able to help with.  As
I have mentioned to one or two of you in personal e-mails, the reason why I
have been rather quiet on Topband is neighbour related.  I have a neighbour
who has a touch lamp of which he is particularly fond.  You may have seen
the type - you touch the base and it comes on with a dull glow, with
further touches increases its brightness, and finally switches off.
>
>The mechanism is probably that it picks up stray fields at line rate from
the person touching the base.  Of course, when I transmit, anywhere from
Topband through to 20m, the thing comes on by itself, usually in the middle
of the night if I am on Topband.
>
>While I am fully aware that this is not my problem, and have been
supported by the local authorities in this attitude, in the interests of
good neighbourliness, I would like to find a solution if possible.  I have
tried the usual ferrite toroid tricks on the line feed, but to no avail.  I
guess the problem is in the capacitive pad itself.  The electronic block is
sealed, so I can't gain access to place caps across active devices.
>
>Does anyone know of either, an add-on solution to this type of problem or,
a similar type of lamp with an EMC rating that covers Topband E-fields?  I
am prepared to buy a new lamp to give my neighbour as a gesture of good
will, but must of course be careful about any safety aspects if I undertake
any modifications myself.
>
>73, Greg, ZL3IX
>
>
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>From lyndon@ve7tcp.ampr.org Thu, 18 Jan 1996 07:46:33 PST
To: <topband@contesting.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1996 06:59:10 -0500
X-Sender: nf4l@pop.jaxnet.com
To: dx@ve7tcp.ampr.org
From: nf4l@jaxnet.com (Mike Reublin)
Subject: Touch control SUMMARY
Sender: owner-dx@ve7tcp.ampr.org
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Thanks to all who responded - There were more than I expected ! 

The original question was:

> Does anyone have a tested, practical, solution (other than the trash
>heap) to those %$$## touch control lamps? I've tried the choke/resistor in
>the "active lead", but may well not have put the combo in the correct wire.
>The lamps I have, have a potted module with 3 wires, one of which is
>connected to the metal part of the lamp base. 40M is especially bad, during
>the CQWW phone test, I was blinking the neighbors house...They were amused -
>this time.

Responses are:

>(Harvey Hiller, KD6QK)
>
>Buy them a new lamp, preferably one without touch control and I think you
>will solve your problem rather cheaply and equitably.

>(John C. Goller K9UWA)
>
>tell'em to TAKE'EM BACK to the STORE they bought them from!! Offer to
>take them BCAK TO THE STORE THEY BOUGHT THEM FROM!.......good luck!
>the GOOD QUALITY ones don't have that problem!! after the above offers
>that were not taken by my neighbors I told them to read the little
>label on the bottom of them....them the SHERIFF CAR went by their house
>while I was standing there......and the damn things started blinking on
>and off..............then they finally agreed that it wasn't the fault
>of my radio!! 73 de JOHN K9UWA

>(Flemming Nymann Larsen, OZ1AXG)
>
>Hi Mike
>I had a similar problem a couple of years ago with the neighbors with a
comercial
>light dimmer. I used a capacitor on the AC (220V) side in order to short
circuit the
>HF. I cant remember the execact value but i used, but you might try with 10 nF.
>
>The HF is obvioussly colleced by the powerlines, so try preventing the HF
getting into
>the unit by stopping the HF at the AC side. Otherwise, it might turn out
that the
>"finger tuch" capacitence is to sencitive and that the pure magnetic field
causes the
>light to flick. In this case You have to change the construction of the dimmer.
>Good luck, FLAM OZ1AXG

>(Gerald D'Entremont, KC5RNX)
>
>Mike:
>     If you find the solution to this...let me know PLEASE.  Lamp is in
>bedroom next to the shack and its hard to try to catch the early band
>openings without waking the XYL up when I key the rig, hi.
>73, Gerald D'Entremont  KC5RNX  (ex-WA5TVM)

(Gene, ED4MPS)
>I am told that Radio Shack sells a line filter for about $15-20 that will fix 
>RF effected touch lamps.  I don't remember the actual nomenclature or part 
>number but if "you got questions, they got answers." :-) 73,Gene

(Rod, VE3IRF)
>Mike:
>
>If you get some good answers, please post them to the reflector.
>I have the same problem with the ones in my house, plus they QRM *me* with a
>S8 buzz-saw between 14010 and 14050 KHz. >My only solution so far is unplug
the >suckers!  GL + 73 Rod VE3IRF


>(Steve,)
>
>Yes if you find a fix for this problem please post it.  I have the problem on
>20 meters and 40 meters and have tryed the same so called fix with no
>results.  At this point in time I only know I have the problem with the two
>lamps in my bedroom.  Wife says that when I'm on CW she is havIing
> flash-backs of the 60's strobe light effect..I sure wish I knew how she can
>sleep thru the light show when I stay up till 1 or 2 in the morning working
>DX.  I wish she would just allow me to throw the darn things in the
>trash...Surly would not give them to the neighbors for a gift....Then again
>may I would give them away to them as I do not reallly like them that
>much...REVENGE!!!! HOW SWEET IT MIGHT BE!!!!   Steve

>(Richard Wilder, K3DI)
>
>First, glad to see you request direct replies.  I have a 24-hour account 
>but those that have to pay COD I am sure appreciate it.
>
>I don't have any help to solve the problem.  My interest is to learn what 
>the legal status is.  Are they under FCC part 15 and must accept any 
>interference?  Of course, one can not tell a neighbor "tough luck, it is 
>your problem" even if it is.  But, it would be nice to know if that is th 
>bottom line if they elected to get fussy.
>
>I do not know what the technology is so I don't have a clue.
>
>73 and good luck, Dick Wilder, K3DI   (ZF2?? QRP in ARRL CW)

>(Eddie J. Edwards, WDOGHA)
>
>Hi Mike! 
> 
>I've been messsing with different TC lamps for a couple years now.  At least 
>yours turned on/off for you so you could find them. Imagine if all they did 
>was make noise; try and find them and explain to a distant neighbor that 
>his/her lamps are "causing" interference.  It's easier to get cooperation if 
>the lamps are going on/off and annoying the owner too! 
> 
>The easy ones are the ones that rcv interference but do not generate.  Use a 
>common mode choke on the AC power line at the point the line enters the lamp 
>(or inside of base if possible).  This wrkd on my closest neighbors lamp which 
>was a 3-way and rcvd interference only. 
> 
>On lamps generating interference, it gets more involved.  It depends on where 
>the interference is generated & how it is propagated.  It may take alot of 
>filtering. 
> 
>1. Try the common mode choke first.  It's easy.  See ARRL Interference  
>   Handbook for how to make/install a common mode filter. Great Book! 
>2. Also try a AC line filter.  Radio Shack makes one in 15-xxx series cat no. 
>   It's not a real good one though but it is cheap (11 or 12 bucks).  A good 
>   one can cost 35-45 bucks. 
>3. Add a RF-choke to the touch signal line (NOT AC-lines! already did this  
>   above.)  It should be about 4 milliHenrys (NOT microHenrys).  Try  
>   experimenting with different values though.  Place choke as close to entry 
>   into control box as possible. 
>4. Also, try replacing control circuit/box with a different model.  Some do  
>   not generate as much interference as others.  cost abt 6-7 bucks. 
> 
>Be careful not to resolve On/Off problem without eliminating interference; 
>otherwise, you may be left with noise from a lamp that acts normally now that 
>you "fixed it".  Also, be careful not to let the neighbor know that you worked 
>on the lamp; tell them your taking it to a qulified electrician or something.  
>That way, after the fire has burned down their house, they won't think to sue 
>you (hopefully). 
> 
>There's been lot's of articles on this subject the last few years in QST 
>(Technical Coor, Hints&Kinks, etc...) so try looking them up for more info. 
> 
>Don't forget, leave lamp so you can turn it on/off if you can't eliminate 
>interference to you, and tell them it's malfunctioning.  Maybe they'll get rid 
>of it like one of my neighbors did.  Don't worry about FCC.  They're on our 
>side on this one.  They'll tell them same thing--"bad lamp, sorry". 
> 
>73, de ed/WD-ZERO-GHA 
> 
>-.-. --.-   -.-. --.-   -.. .  .-- -.. ----- --. .... .-  .-.-.  -.- 
>--... ...--   . ...   --. .-..   - ---   ..-   --- --   ...-.-   . . 
**************************************************************************
Mike Reublin                                    email: nf4l@jax.jaxnet.com 
**************************************************************************
through the serial port... off the modem... under the phone line.....
above the gateway... over the T1 backbone... nothing but NET!!!!
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