Smoke detectors

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Smoke detectors

Geoffrey Feldman
The reason to keep smoke detectors from Amateur Radios is that they detect
smoke by ionization from a radioactive source.  A strong near field will set
them off.  The good news is that this is your indication that all is not
right at the feed line (Or the antenna is unhealthy close).  I have had this
experience myself, fixed the feed line and the issue went away.   That was
with 100w on 80 meters.  Unlike real smoke, the detector will stop
complaining when the transmission stops.
-73-
Geoff W1GCF

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Re: Smoke detectors

JP Douglas
About 12 years ago we had a carbon monoxide detector in the upstairs hallway not far from the shack. Every time I was on a 2m net (could have been 6m, I forget...)the detector would start chirping, I even lowered power from 65 to 25 watts, same issue. Eventually the thing wouldn’t stop chirping at all so we threw it away, put a smoke detector in it’s place, got a 10 year carbon monoxide detector and put it in the guest bedroom which is further away from the shack and never had a problem again.
73 de Jose Douglas KB1TCD Mid Coast ME


Sent from my iPad

> On Oct 25, 2020, at 6:36 AM, Geoffrey Feldman <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> The reason to keep smoke detectors from Amateur Radios is that they detect
> smoke by ionization from a radioactive source.  A strong near field will set
> them off.  The good news is that this is your indication that all is not
> right at the feed line (Or the antenna is unhealthy close).  I have had this
> experience myself, fixed the feed line and the issue went away.   That was
> with 100w on 80 meters.  Unlike real smoke, the detector will stop
> complaining when the transmission stops.
> -73-
> Geoff W1GCF
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
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Re: Smoke detectors

Vic Rosenthal
I had a battery-operated smoke detector that was set off by my
transmissions. I totally wrapped it in aluminum foil and punched holes
in the foil to match the openings in the plastic housing. No more trouble.

Of course this wouldn't work with a WiFi unit. But in my experience,
WiFi appliances have always been less affected by my HF and 144MHz
signals than wired ones whose wires act as antennas.

73,
Victor, 4X6GP
Rehovot, Israel
Formerly K2VCO
CWops no. 5
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/
On 25/10/2020 13:13, JP Douglas wrote:

> About 12 years ago we had a carbon monoxide detector in the upstairs hallway not far from the shack. Every time I was on a 2m net (could have been 6m, I forget...)the detector would start chirping, I even lowered power from 65 to 25 watts, same issue. Eventually the thing wouldn’t stop chirping at all so we threw it away, put a smoke detector in it’s place, got a 10 year carbon monoxide detector and put it in the guest bedroom which is further away from the shack and never had a problem again.
> 73 de Jose Douglas KB1TCD Mid Coast ME
>
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On Oct 25, 2020, at 6:36 AM, Geoffrey Feldman <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>> The reason to keep smoke detectors from Amateur Radios is that they detect
>> smoke by ionization from a radioactive source.  A strong near field will set
>> them off.  The good news is that this is your indication that all is not
>> right at the feed line (Or the antenna is unhealthy close).  I have had this
>> experience myself, fixed the feed line and the issue went away.   That was
>> with 100w on 80 meters.  Unlike real smoke, the detector will stop
>> complaining when the transmission stops.
>> -73-
>> Geoff W1GCF
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Re: Smoke detectors

David Woolley (E.L)
In reply to this post by Geoffrey Feldman
Radio waves are non-ionising radiation, so there is no fundamental
reason why radio frequencies should trigger ionisation detectors.

Also, at least in Europe, ionisation detectors are no longer the
preferred type. Optical detectors are the generally preferred type, and
ones which combine heat and optical detection seem to be most favoured.

Actually ionisation detectors alarm when the current reduces, so
additional ionisation would probably de-sensitise, rather than trigger
them.  They include an alpha emitter to generate the ionisation, so are
radioactive.

The main advantage is that they are cheap.

--
David Woolley

On 25/10/2020 10:36, Geoffrey Feldman wrote:
> The reason to keep smoke detectors from Amateur Radios is that they detect
> smoke by ionization from a radioactive source.  A strong near field will set
> them off.  The good news is that this is your indication that all is not > right at the feed line (Or the antenna is unhealthy close).  I have
had this
> experience myself, fixed the feed line and the issue went away.   That was
> with 100w on 80 meters.  Unlike real smoke, the detector will stop
> complaining when the transmission stops.
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