Topband
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Topband: BRUTE FORCE

To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: BRUTE FORCE
From: Herb Schoenbohm <herbs@vitelcom.net>
Reply-to: herbs@vitelcom.net
Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2011 08:55:50 -0400
List-post: <topband@contesting.com">mailto:topband@contesting.com>
Mike,

During a major DX-pedition in the night or during a contest on 160 
meters power company line crews are not probably going to respond. Most 
times it take days or weeks for them to respond. My power pole banging 
ended over 50 years ago as now so now I try to plan ahead as well as see 
what the rain forecast is like a down pour a few days before to wash the 
salt from the HVAC pole insulators.  In such noise cases this may be the 
only hope, except that some power companies to reduce line loses have a 
solution they apply to the insulator(s) usually in a planned maintenance 
schedule to a problematic area.

During power outages on the island listening to the absence of 
cumulative noise sources is a real treat.  However here these outages 
are mostly caused by storms and the associated tropical QRN is far worse 
then some periodic noise which many DSP's and NB's can significant 
reduce.  Also the last 20 years has found serious TB Dxers having some 
sort of directional listening advantage over a noise source located some 
distance away by using Beverages, Flags, Pennants, Array Solutions,. 
K9AY systems,  and loops.

By point here is that pole banging with a sledge hammer is no longer 
needed and today quickly falls to the bottom of the list of solutions if 
at all.

Best wishes to all for Merry Christmas and a New year filled with TB DX.

Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ



On 12/22/2011 1:33 AM, W5JR - Mike wrote:
> Very, very dangerous to whack a wooden utility pole. Loose hardware, rotted 
> pole, poor ground, loose back guy - all sorts of ways to be injured. Let the 
> utility company check it.
>
> tnx
> Mike
>
> On Dec 21, 2011, at 7:06 PM, "Bill and Liz McHugh"<magoo@isp.ca>  wrote:
>
>> As you get closer and closer to a series of poles you suspect might be the 
>> cause of your noise, take along an associate with a 20 lb sledge hammer.  
>> Have him whack each pole while you listen for a change in the "sound" of the 
>> noise.  I can tell you that this method works....sometimes too well.  A 
>> friend who is now an SK once hit the suspect pole a good one with the result 
>> that the hardware and the line parted company with associated fireworks.  
>> Needless to say, that pole received a complete set of new hardware and the 
>> noise disappeared.
>>
>> 73, Bill VE3CSK
>> _______________________________________________
>> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
> _______________________________________________
> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
>
_______________________________________________
UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>