On Fri, 10 Nov 2006 13:58:19 -0700, Tod-ID wrote:
>I certainly hope that what I have written will make noise location and
>resolution easier for another reader.
Heres a solid step to FIXING the problem once you find it. It works for
most 120VAC noise sources that are carried on or radiated by the AC line.
This fix is specifically tailored to 160-40 meters, but will also help on
the higher bands.
1) Find a length of 2-conductor twisted pair rated for power line voltage
long enough to wind 14 turns around a #31 FT-240 size ferrite toroid. The
size (gauge) of the conductors only needs to be big enough to carry the
load current of the noise source. For example, must professional IEC
power cords are #18. If you cant find a #31 toroid, #43 will work almost
as well on 40, but will have about 6 dB less noise suppression on 160.
2) You have just built a common mode choke. Put that in series with the
power line that feeds the noise source.
3) Add a capacitor of 0.33 - 0.47 uF across the line (that is, from hot to
neutral) on the side of the choke that is closest to the breaker box. Do
NOT add capacitors to ground (the green wire). Doing so would cause the
noise to flow on the green wire, which would radiate it just like any other
antenna and defeat your filter.
4) Carry the safety ground past the filter youve just made.
5) To make the noise suppression more effective above 10 MHz, add a second
choke in series with the first one, as well as a second capacitor of at
least 0.1 uF. The second choke should have 6-7 turns. #43 is just as
effective as #31 above 7 MHz.
6) Install this choke as close to the noise source as possible. The AC
wiring between the choke and the noise source can radiate the noise.
The capacitors you use MUST be rated for AC line voltage. I use caps rated
for 250VAC / 600 VDC.
73,
Jim Brown K9YC
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