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K3 noise blanker sure does the job.

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Kenneth Christiansen

K3 noise blanker sure does the job.

I ordered my K3 in June of 2007 after a strong local noise level started
at my Fargo ND QTH. (That was the factor that convinced me I needed a
K3). The noise went away for a few months about the time I got my K3 so
while I was pleased with how the K3 took care of the normal noise of the
city I did not know how it would work if the noise came back. Last night
I was working the Elecraft net on 20 meters and KD5ONS was coming in
about S7 and about the best copy I have had on him in months. I turned
on my IC-746PRO on 2 meters to check into the local 2 meter net and
noticed the S meter sat at S9. I switched to AM and sure enough the bad
line noise was back. I turned off the NB on the K3 and sure enough I
could barely tell KD5ONS was in there as the S meter jumped to S8 and
Kevin was only S7. I was running the K3 with PRE ON, ATT OFF, DSP E3-4,
IF MED3 and the default width of 400 HZ with the 500 HZ roofing filter.
With the NB ON the S meter would drop to S1 when there was a break in
the action and I was copying stations down to S1 with no way to know
there was any noise in the area. I sure made the right decision to buy
the K3 as this noise problem was here all last summer and the K2 and 746
just could not do anything about it. I have an MFJ-852 noise meter and
thought the noise was from my own house but pulling all the AC fuses to
the house and and running the rig on a battery showed no change. There
are 8 of us on the transformer which is in my back yard so it could be
coming from any one of my neighbors. At least I don't have to deal with
it this year due to the fact the K3 does such a good job of getting rid
of the noise. The 746 on 2 meters FM can only pick up the strongest
stations when the noise is there and they have lots of noise on them
unless the strength is over S9. This morning the noise is gone but that
is the way it was last year too. I never figured out a pattern to the
noise as some times it would come on for a few seconds and other times
it would come on for hours at a time.

73

Ken W0CZ
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Joseph M. Durnal

Re: K3 noise blanker sure does the job.

I've noticed the same. Since local noise that I can't cure (yeah, I
could write to the FCC, but I'm not supposed to have antennas anyway,
so they could just write tol the HOA) is my biggest problem, I want a
rig that will help me work through it. I still have a lot of side by
side testing to do with the K3 and the FT-2000D, but my initial review
has really gone to the K3.

73 de Joseph Durnal NE3R

On Mon, Jun 23, 2008 at 8:41 AM, Kenneth A. Christiansen <[hidden email]> wrote:

> I ordered my K3 in June of 2007 after a strong local noise level started at
> my Fargo ND QTH. (That was the factor that convinced me I needed a K3). The
> noise went away for a few months about the time I got my K3 so while I was
> pleased with how the K3 took care of the normal noise of the city I did not
> know how it would work if the noise came back. Last night I was working the
> Elecraft net on 20 meters and KD5ONS was coming in about S7 and about the
> best copy I have had on him in months. I turned on my IC-746PRO on 2 meters
> to check into the local 2 meter net and noticed the S meter sat at S9. I
> switched to AM and sure enough the bad line noise was back. I turned off the
> NB on the K3 and sure enough I could barely tell KD5ONS was in there as the
> S meter jumped to S8 and Kevin was only S7. I was running the K3 with PRE
> ON, ATT OFF, DSP E3-4, IF MED3 and the default width of 400 HZ with the
> 500 HZ roofing filter. With the NB ON the S meter would drop to S1 when
> there was a break in the action and I was copying stations down to S1 with
> no way to know there was any noise in the area. I sure made the right
> decision to buy the K3 as this noise problem was here all last summer and
> the K2 and 746 just could not do anything about it. I have an MFJ-852 noise
> meter and thought the noise was from my own house but pulling all the AC
> fuses to the house and and running the rig on a battery showed no change.
> There are 8 of us on the transformer which is in my back yard so it could be
> coming from any one of my neighbors. At least I don't have to deal with it
> this year due to the fact the K3 does such a good job of getting rid of the
> noise. The 746 on 2 meters FM can only pick up the strongest stations when
> the noise is there and they have lots of noise on them unless the strength
> is over S9. This morning the noise is gone but that is the way it was last
> year too. I never figured out a pattern to the noise as some times it would
> come on for a few seconds and other times it would come on for hours at a
> time.
>
> 73
>
> Ken W0CZ
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>

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Ken Kopp-3

K3 noise blanker sure does the job.

In reply to this post by Kenneth Christiansen

Hi Ken,

I used to be the line noise tech for my power company
employer ...

Touch lamps are a seldom-thought-of source of "line noise".

Wall-warts, too.

73! Ken Kopp - K0PP
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alsopb

Re: K3 noise blanker sure does the job.

Ken Kopp wrote:

> Hi Ken,
>
> I used to be the line noise tech for my power company
> employer ...
>
> Touch lamps are a seldom-thought-of source of "line noise".
>
> Wall-warts, too.
>
Walwarts of the future will most likely be a real pain. I understand
some legislation has required all of them to be switching in the near
future.

73 de Brian/K3KO

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Vic K2VCO

Re: K3 noise blanker sure does the job.

Brian Alsop wrote:

> Walwarts of the future will most likely be a real pain. I understand
> some legislation has required all of them to be switching in the near
> future.

I have a small halogen lamp which has a walwart that can be used as a
noise generator for adjusting the filters in my K2. It produces a
wideband hash that is perfect for this purpose. It is very loud in most
of the HF spectrum. I have never heard a switcher make a noise like
this; usually they make burbles, floaters, and digital tinkles.

Speaking of switchers, I once had an IC751 with a built-in AC supply, a
switcher which was mounted in a flat shielded box on the bottom of the
radio. There was a tinkling noise audible on all bands which drove me
crazy. This was some years ago, and it didn't occur to me that it might
be the power supply. I actually sent the radio to ICOM, and they 'fixed'
several things but the noise remained.

Although I know switchers can be quiet -- especially when you are
careful to use baluns, etc. on antennas to reduce local noise pickup --
I prefer an old heavy Astron linear supply in my shack.
--
73,
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco
K2 no. 709
K3 no. 00007
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Brett Howard

Re: K3 noise blanker sure does the job.

In reply to this post by alsopb

They are only required to be so in California so far.

On Mon, 2008-06-23 at 15:11 +0000, Brian Alsop wrote:

> Ken Kopp wrote:
>
> > Hi Ken,
> >
> > I used to be the line noise tech for my power company
> > employer ...
> >
> > Touch lamps are a seldom-thought-of source of "line noise".
> >
> > Wall-warts, too.
> >
> Walwarts of the future will most likely be a real pain. I understand
> some legislation has required all of them to be switching in the near
> future.
>
> 73 de Brian/K3KO
>
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
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> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

Brett Howard

Re: K3 noise blanker sure does the job.

In reply to this post by Ken Kopp-3

I've got a HUGE problem in my area too. It only comes on at night (not
all nights though) and its periodic. Like a lil over a minute on and
then 40 something seconds off and it goes on and off like that all
night. It generally comes on shortly after the street lamps do. A talk
with the power company results in a guy calling back saying he was in
the area and couldn't hear anything. Well no doubt you weren't there
when the noise is. And he says that if its the street lamps they have
no jurisdiction I have to speak with the city. Unfortunately I have no
real way to tell what light it is.

On Mon, 2008-06-23 at 13:51 +0000, Ken Kopp wrote:

> Hi Ken,
>
> I used to be the line noise tech for my power company
> employer ...
>
> Touch lamps are a seldom-thought-of source of "line noise".
>
> Wall-warts, too.
>
> 73! Ken Kopp - K0PP
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

Rick Dettinger-3

Re: K3 noise blanker sure does the job.

Brett - I used to have the same problem with the street lights in my
neighborhood. After about three years of service, high pressure
sodium lamps start to cycle on and off. Every time they start up,
they generate noise. I walk at night and in the winter I could see
the lamps cycle. I would make a note of the address, and then email
the information to the power company. It is important to be specific
with information as the line service crew that gets the trouble slip
will come out in the daylight and won't be able to see the problem.
Our streetlights are serviced by the power company through a contract
with the City. In your area, you may have to contact the City.
Street lights should be maintained on a 3 year cycle but maintenance
gets deferred due to budget considerations. Don't expect prompt
response. This is low priority work.

73
Rick Dettinger K7MW

On Jun 23, 2008, at 9:11 AM, Brett Howard wrote:

> I've got a HUGE problem in my area too. It only comes on at night
> (not
> all nights though) and its periodic. Like a lil over a minute on and
> then 40 something seconds off and it goes on and off like that all
> night. It generally comes on shortly after the street lamps do. A
> talk
> with the power company results in a guy calling back saying he was in
> the area and couldn't hear anything. Well no doubt you weren't there
> when the noise is. And he says that if its the street lamps they have
> no jurisdiction I have to speak with the city. Unfortunately I have
> no
> real way to tell what light it is.
>
>
>>

AC7AC

RE: K3 noise blanker sure does the job.

In reply to this post by Brett Howard

CONTENTS DELETED

The author has deleted this message.

drewko

Re: K3 noise blanker sure does the job.

In reply to this post by Brett Howard

You can try switching off a suspected street lamp by beaming its
photocell with a laser pointer. The photocell is located on top of the
lamp housing. It is directional, usually oriented toward the north
(but not always) so you would have to spot it with the laser from this
particular direction.

You could go around the neighborhood with a portable radio and a laser
pointer, trying each lamp. Or set up a recorder at your rig, tuned to
WWV time signals, and log the times when you switch off particular
streetlamps. Having a tripod for the laser pointer might help. A green
laser will make a nice beam which you can see, not just a spot.

How you explain your activities to the cops when they pick you up is
another story...

73,
Drew
AF2Z

On Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:11:23 -0700, Brett Howard wrote:

>?I've got a HUGE problem in my area too. It only comes on at night (not
>all nights though) and its periodic. Like a lil over a minute on and
>then 40 something seconds off and it goes on and off like that all
>night. It generally comes on shortly after the street lamps do. A talk
>with the power company results in a guy calling back saying he was in
>the area and couldn't hear anything. Well no doubt you weren't there
>when the noise is. And he says that if its the street lamps they have
>no jurisdiction I have to speak with the city. Unfortunately I have no
>real way to tell what light it is.
>
>