The sun is going through a weird sunspot cycle right now and skip should
be pretty good even during the day. 20 years ago I had a big outside
whip and managed to talk to a guy in Jamaica who was really surprised to
be talking to someone from California. If 2x5 watt ERP radios can do
that the stations still on the air should come in strong.
I give this about 2 posts before someone goes off topic.

Second, I have to mention that those el-cheapo CFL's that Wal-mart is
selling have one hell of an RFI output. I thought my radio had gone down
when I thought to turn off all the CFL's in my house and it got
listen-able. I have an oscilloscope monitoring the audio and the noise
spikes are at 60 Hz and very consistent.

I think that if someone wanted to get into their radio it would be a
small matter to put a line synced blank pulse when needed.

Anyone?
No politics.
Bill Baka

Bill Baka wrote:
The sun is going through a weird sunspot cycle right now and skip should
be pretty good even during the day. 20 years ago I had a big outside
whip and managed to talk to a guy in Jamaica who was really surprised to
be talking to someone from California. If 2x5 watt ERP radios can do
that the stations still on the air should come in strong.
I give this about 2 posts before someone goes off topic.

Second, I have to mention that those el-cheapo CFL's that Wal-mart is
selling have one hell of an RFI output. I thought my radio had gone down
when I thought to turn off all the CFL's in my house and it got
listen-able. I have an oscilloscope monitoring the audio and the noise
spikes are at 60 Hz and very consistent.

I think that if someone wanted to get into their radio it would be a
small matter to put a line synced blank pulse when needed.

Anyone?
No politics.
Bill Baka
CFLs do not operate at 60 Hz.

dave wrote:
Bill Baka wrote:
The sun is going through a weird sunspot cycle right now and skip
should be pretty good even during the day. 20 years ago I had a big
outside whip and managed to talk to a guy in Jamaica who was really
surprised to be talking to someone from California. If 2x5 watt ERP
radios can do that the stations still on the air should come in strong.
I give this about 2 posts before someone goes off topic.

Second, I have to mention that those el-cheapo CFL's that Wal-mart is
selling have one hell of an RFI output. I thought my radio had gone
down when I thought to turn off all the CFL's in my house and it got
listen-able. I have an oscilloscope monitoring the audio and the noise
spikes are at 60 Hz and very consistent.

I think that if someone wanted to get into their radio it would be a
small matter to put a line synced blank pulse when needed.

Anyone?
No politics.
Bill Baka
CFLs do not operate at 60 Hz.

No ****!!!
They do not have PFC front ends so there are spikes at 120 Hz if you
want to get picky. Go to Wal-mart or any other store and you will see
the $1 generic and the $5 GE branded ones are identical.
I scoped it with my trigger set to line and...duh...there were noise
spikes every time the charging diodes conducted.
Those spikes contain some switching noise from the lamp controller.
What do you want from a country that owns our asses right about now?

Bill Baka

On 10/20/09 12:35 , Bill Baka wrote:
The sun is going through a weird sunspot cycle right now and skip should
be pretty good even during the day. 20 years ago I had a big outside
whip and managed to talk to a guy in Jamaica who was really surprised to
be talking to someone from California. If 2x5 watt ERP radios can do
that the stations still on the air should come in strong.
I give this about 2 posts before someone goes off topic.


Depending on your frequency of choice, you should be able to work
that kind of distance with less than that power. I worked a guy in
North Carolina from Chicago on 1 watt about 20 years ago, on 11
meters. Conditions, time of day all work for or against you.

But 10 and 11 meters can be amazing QRP bands.



Second, I have to mention that those el-cheapo CFL's that Wal-mart is
selling have one hell of an RFI output. I thought my radio had gone down
when I thought to turn off all the CFL's in my house and it got
listen-able. I have an oscilloscope monitoring the audio and the noise
spikes are at 60 Hz and very consistent.


I've noticed some, but not a LOT of noise from CFL's here.
Although, when the noise floor rises, I'm thinking it's from one of
the neighbors' CFL's. My own are pretty quiet.

I bought mine in bulk from HeartlandAmerica.com. The brand is
Green/Shine, made in China and the cost was a little less than $2/ea
in a variety of wattages and lumen outputs. Fairly quiet. Two in the
bathroom downstairs create enough noise that I can't use a radio
there, but they don't seem to radiate enough to get into radios
elsewhere in the building.

But the simple solution is an antenna in a quiet part of the
property, well grounded with a well grounded transmission line.



I think that if someone wanted to get into their radio it would be a
small matter to put a line synced blank pulse when needed.

Interesting thought. I've had some pretty decent results with
some noise blankers, depending on the receiver. But a blank pulse,
not tried that.

I'll give that a look.




Anyone?
No politics.


You're no fun.

On 10/20/09 12:35 , Bill Baka wrote:

Second, I have to mention that those el-cheapo CFL's that Wal-mart is
selling have one hell of an RFI output. I thought my radio had gone down
when I thought to turn off all the CFL's in my house and it got
listen-able. I have an oscilloscope monitoring the audio and the noise
spikes are at 60 Hz and very consistent.

I think that if someone wanted to get into their radio it would be a
small matter to put a line synced blank pulse when needed.



A late thought, here....have you put a bit of capacitance across
the lamp? I had a torchiere in the studio that was creating some
enormous spikes on the line, and was getting back into the audio.
Eventually, I pulled the SCR fader out. But a quick short term
solution was to put a capacitor across the line. Put an orange drop
in a 3 to 2 line adaptor, and plugged it into the power strip.
Quieted things right down. Even elimated spikes that were getting
into my AM receiver.

Cheap solution. Good results.

D. Peter Maus wrote:
On 10/20/09 12:35 , Bill Baka wrote:
The sun is going through a weird sunspot cycle right now and skip should
be pretty good even during the day. 20 years ago I had a big outside
whip and managed to talk to a guy in Jamaica who was really surprised to
be talking to someone from California. If 2x5 watt ERP radios can do
that the stations still on the air should come in strong.
I give this about 2 posts before someone goes off topic.


Depending on your frequency of choice, you should be able to work that
kind of distance with less than that power. I worked a guy in North
Carolina from Chicago on 1 watt about 20 years ago, on 11 meters.
Conditions, time of day all work for or against you.

But 10 and 11 meters can be amazing QRP bands.

I don't think I could have done that much better except on a narrow band
Morse code, and when have you ever seen Morse code and CB? Either way,
the guy in Jamaica and I were pretty blown away.



Second, I have to mention that those el-cheapo CFL's that Wal-mart is
selling have one hell of an RFI output. I thought my radio had gone down
when I thought to turn off all the CFL's in my house and it got
listen-able. I have an oscilloscope monitoring the audio and the noise
spikes are at 60 Hz and very consistent.


I've noticed some, but not a LOT of noise from CFL's here. Although,
when the noise floor rises, I'm thinking it's from one of the neighbors'
CFL's. My own are pretty quiet.

I had some very noisy ones and tossed them so now my house is quiet but
the neighbors use them for night lights and CFL's have destroyed my
noise floor. I can still get some of the channels broadcasting in
English but if I am using the crystal filter I can't make out a woman's
voice.

I bought mine in bulk from HeartlandAmerica.com.

I have bought from Heartland and their stuff is pretty good. 90% is made
in China so I'm not going to kid myself on that one. They seem to always
have good deals.

The brand is
Green/Shine, made in China and the cost was a little less than $2/ea in
a variety of wattages and lumen outputs. Fairly quiet. Two in the
bathroom downstairs create enough noise that I can't use a radio there,
but they don't seem to radiate enough to get into radios elsewhere in
the building.

The obvious solution, to me, would be for the F.C.C. to get off their
HDTV campaign to force us all to buy Chinese flat screens and do their
jobs regarding 'noise pollution'.

But the simple solution is an antenna in a quiet part of the property,
well grounded with a well grounded transmission line.


Not enough property at this house so I climbed a few trees and ran the
wire for the antenna through them. Total Rube Goldberg but it works.

I think that if someone wanted to get into their radio it would be a
small matter to put a line synced blank pulse when needed.

Interesting thought. I've had some pretty decent results with some
noise blankers, depending on the receiver. But a blank pulse, not tried
that.

I'll give that a look.


I was hoping not to be the token inventor here but the noise pulse shows
up on my scope (4 channel x 100MHz Tektronix) and if I just had a
reference to the 60 cycle I could set up a few one shots to cut the
beginning to the other end of the noise pulse. Kind of a notch filter
for noise, not adjacent channel. Traditional noise blankers have to see
the beginning of the pulse and guesstimate the end of the pulse so some
noise does get through.


Anyone?
No politics.


You're no fun.

I'm not going to get sucked into those splatter posted topics if at all
possible. Too much time wasted.
Cheers, my Hammarlund is calling me.
Bill Baka

D. Peter Maus wrote:
On 10/20/09 12:35 , Bill Baka wrote:

Second, I have to mention that those el-cheapo CFL's that Wal-mart is
selling have one hell of an RFI output. I thought my radio had gone down
when I thought to turn off all the CFL's in my house and it got
listen-able. I have an oscilloscope monitoring the audio and the noise
spikes are at 60 Hz and very consistent.

I think that if someone wanted to get into their radio it would be a
small matter to put a line synced blank pulse when needed.



A late thought, here....have you put a bit of capacitance across the
lamp?

I've thought of a lot of things but the capacitor needs someplace for me
to put it. I was hoping the F.C.C. would have been bright enough to
regulate a noise maximum but no, we get HDTV during a Depression.

I had a torchiere in the studio that was creating some enormous
spikes on the line, and was getting back into the audio. Eventually, I
pulled the SCR fader out.

SCR's are terrible for noise. I had one on a filament lamp for the
bedroom ceiling and as I dialed the bright up and down I could hear the
change in the radio.

But a quick short term solution was to put a
capacitor across the line. Put an orange drop in a 3 to 2 line adaptor,
and plugged it into the power strip. Quieted things right down. Even
elimated spikes that were getting into my AM receiver.

Cheap solution. Good results.



Sounds good for a few fixes but I don't want to do it for every bulb in
the house. Someone should make a noise reduction socket piece that the
CFL would plug into. I'm thinking 2 inductors and 2 capacitors.

Bill Baka

On 20 Oct, 21:44, Bill Baka wrote:
D. Peter Maus wrote:
On 10/20/09 12:35 , Bill Baka wrote:

Second, I have to mention that those el-cheapo CFL's that Wal-mart is
selling have one hell of an RFI output. I thought my radio had gone down
when I thought to turn off all the CFL's in my house and it got
listen-able. I have an oscilloscope monitoring the audio and the noise
spikes are at 60 Hz and very consistent.

I think that if someone wanted to get into their radio it would be a
small matter to put a line synced blank pulse when needed.

* A late thought, here....have you put a bit of capacitance across the
lamp?

I've thought of a lot of things but the capacitor needs someplace for me
to put it. I was hoping the F.C.C. would have been bright enough to
regulate a noise maximum but no, we get HDTV during a Depression.

I had a torchiere in the studio that was creating some enormous

spikes on the line, and was getting back into the audio. Eventually, I
pulled the SCR fader out.

SCR's are terrible for noise. I had one on a filament lamp for the
bedroom ceiling and as I dialed the bright up and down I could hear the
change in the radio.

* But a quick short term solution was to put a capacitor across the line. Put an orange drop in a 3 to 2 line adaptor,
and plugged it into the power strip. Quieted things right down. Even
elimated spikes that were getting into my AM receiver.

* Cheap solution. Good results.

Sounds good for a few fixes but I don't want to do it for every bulb in
the house. Someone should make a noise reduction socket piece that the
CFL would plug into. I'm thinking 2 inductors and 2 capacitors.

Bill Baka

Thanks for the note about this interesting moment for SW radio
reception. I will make a special note to use SW this week.
I used to listen frequently in the days before satellite but as a
radio anorak, it will be enjoyable tuning in currently.
Living outside the USA, as most of the planet does, I cannot comment
on equipment in Walmart, but I bought a neat and cheap and green small
SW set on the net last year. I use recycled batteries in it, charged
from a solar charger and it also comes with a light and more
importantly a winding crank so that you can have plenty of listening
time simply by turning the handle a few times. The brand is 'Eton' and
I guess it is made in China, but my carbon footprint in using it must
be near to zero. Radio pleasure with a care for the environment too;
can't be bad!

galaxyguy wrote:
On 20 Oct, 21:44, Bill Baka wrote:
D. Peter Maus wrote:
On 10/20/09 12:35 , Bill Baka wrote:
Second, I have to mention that those el-cheapo CFL's that Wal-mart is
selling have one hell of an RFI output. I thought my radio had gone down
when I thought to turn off all the CFL's in my house and it got
listen-able. I have an oscilloscope monitoring the audio and the noise
spikes are at 60 Hz and very consistent.
I think that if someone wanted to get into their radio it would be a
small matter to put a line synced blank pulse when needed.
A late thought, here....have you put a bit of capacitance across the
lamp?
I've thought of a lot of things but the capacitor needs someplace for me
to put it. I was hoping the F.C.C. would have been bright enough to
regulate a noise maximum but no, we get HDTV during a Depression.

I had a torchiere in the studio that was creating some enormous

spikes on the line, and was getting back into the audio. Eventually, I
pulled the SCR fader out.
SCR's are terrible for noise. I had one on a filament lamp for the
bedroom ceiling and as I dialed the bright up and down I could hear the
change in the radio.

But a quick short term solution was to put a capacitor across the line. Put an orange drop in a 3 to 2 line adaptor,
and plugged it into the power strip. Quieted things right down. Even
elimated spikes that were getting into my AM receiver.
Cheap solution. Good results.
Sounds good for a few fixes but I don't want to do it for every bulb in
the house. Someone should make a noise reduction socket piece that the
CFL would plug into. I'm thinking 2 inductors and 2 capacitors.

Bill Baka

Thanks for the note about this interesting moment for SW radio
reception. I will make a special note to use SW this week.
I used to listen frequently in the days before satellite but as a
radio anorak, it will be enjoyable tuning in currently.
Living outside the USA, as most of the planet does, I cannot comment
on equipment in Walmart,

*JUNK*

but I bought a neat and cheap and green small
SW set on the net last year. I use recycled batteries in it, charged
from a solar charger and it also comes with a light and more
importantly a winding crank so that you can have plenty of listening
time simply by turning the handle a few times. The brand is 'Eton' and
I guess it is made in China, but my carbon footprint in using it must
be near to zero. Radio pleasure with a care for the environment too;
can't be bad!

Chinese or not it sounds like a good deal. I have and old maritime RDF
radio (1974) and it will run off of a 5" diameter solar cell I have from
a solar powered sidewalk light. It puts out about 6 volts at 100 ma and
runs the radio just fine. For night time use it sucks up 4 D cells.
I just had the Hammarlund fired up and the CB crowd is alive and well.
The RME-DB20 gives me about 20 dB of gain at the CB band. It's out there
but some hunting is needed.

Bill Baka

Bill Baka wrote:


I was hoping not to be the token inventor here but the noise pulse shows
up on my scope (4 channel x 100MHz Tektronix) and if I just had a
reference to the 60 cycle I could set up a few one shots to cut the
beginning to the other end of the noise pulse. Kind of a notch filter
for noise, not adjacent channel. Traditional noise blankers have to see
the beginning of the pulse and guesstimate the end of the pulse so some
noise does get through.


You're just seeing what's in sync with the trigger. Try using a
spectrum analyzer.