What would you have said ? - Open Roads Radio forum for Ham, Amateur Radio and RV camping

WD8QBQ · 03-27-2011, 03:06 PM

Sitting out in a lawn chair enjoying the nice weather and along comes a camper two rv's away walking his dog. We have a brief conversation exchanging pleasantries and the usual BS, (we both have been here a couple months).
Out of the blue he says, my wife and I were watching TV a couple days ago and I think we heard you on our sub woofer, funny thing is it wasn't even turned on. I said OH what did I say, he says it was all garbled, couldn't make it out. I said WOW, when was that and what time was it? He says a couple of days ago at about 8 EDT, my first reaction was to tell him, I don't operate at that time, I'm usually on at 2 to 8 AM, but then got to thinking that I was TXing in the evening briefly and didn't say so. He also said I'm not complaining, it didn't bother me. I'm thinking

I did tell him "one more thing" and will tell you all after you tell what you would have told him, if your interested?

JIM

Radio · 03-27-2011, 03:48 PM

"If you would, the next time it happens let me know immediately. I am responsible for the emissions from my station and I want to be a good neighbor."

And when he calls or knocks on the door in a few days, and I'm not on the air, "OK, well, let's have a look see and figure out what this is then."

(On edit) I always carry a number of ferrite RF chokes and other RFI fighting tools, just in case. Years ago, before we got the camper, we rented a duplex on the Outer Banks. My "Island Hopping" was getting into the TV next door. I put a ferrite chunk on the TV power cord and on the CATV cable. No problems rest of the week. I retrieved my chunks the last day we were there. If we were going to be permanent neighbors I would have just given them to the guy.

wa8yxm · 03-27-2011, 03:57 PM

I think I'd have asked him to let me check my log. (to verify if I was on at that hour)

It is very possible for a ham rig to get into the audio channels on a poorly designed home theater system. They basically leve out RF filtering. IN fact even a LEGAL CB can do it (And that's usually the problem)

True story: Woman complained the ham next door was messing up her TV shows, Never, as it turned out, he husband's only her's (That is how she knew it was a GUY doing it because all GUYS watch the same shows... (I know, I know, Don't say it))

So she demonstrated, with her husband and the "Offending Ham" stangind there she st town to watch one of her shows and sure enough TVI.

Wait, a second, the ham was standing there beside her.. SO how could it be HIS fault? (Like I said, don't ask, she was still sure it was his fault)

What was it? Her heat pad of course.

Andy N1ORK · 03-27-2011, 07:28 PM

I would have asked if my wife could listen to the subwoofer while I tried to reproduce my transmission. Otherwise, I would ditto what Wade said.

K4AC · 03-28-2011, 10:08 AM

I second Wade's suggestion of ferrite cores—I've cured a lot of RFI problems with them. (Mine, not my neighbors as I'm on 9 acres and the nearest neighbor is about 1000' feet away.

The more wraps you can make thru the core, the more effective it is.

Doug
K4AC

WD8QBQ · 03-29-2011, 07:05 PM

First I said, I'm sorry to hear that and then what did you hear, was it clear or garbled.
Remember he said it was around 8 pm and I was thinking at that moment I was totally in the clear, but remembering I had been on the air a couple times at that time a week earlier I offered a test transmission to see if it really were me. He declined and said it did not bother him and he actually thought it was funny (go figure) what he thought was really funny was that the unit wasn't even turned on.
I further asked if he wanted me to come over and see if there was anything about his equipment that might be enabling the interference and he said no, he didn't want me in his rv. I did find out his speakers that were wired were connected with lamp cord and not twisted pair wire and that some were wireless.
We will be leaving in a couple weeks so I don't transmit during prime viewing and he still insists it is not something to worry about ( we still make daily friendly small talk outside).
Funny thing or maybe the lucky thing is no one else in the park says anything, nor any other park.
Personally I think he has inferior equipment that is picking transmitting RF off of the antenna, you know the power out and not stray RF. Good thing I didn't hook up the Ameritron yet, gee what do I have to look forward to.

JIM

Radio · 03-29-2011, 07:39 PM

He didn't wan you in his rig? Must be a lousy house keeper. Most people love to show off their rigs to new friends. Many people, when they finally notice the antennas, want to see the radios, so we get lots of tours and an occasional demo.

At least he wasn't ugly about it.

KC1BUD · 04-05-2011, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WD8QBQ

First I said, I'm sorry to hear that and then what did you hear, was it clear or garbled.
Remember he said it was around 8 pm and I was thinking at that moment I was totally in the clear, but remembering I had been on the air a couple times at that time a week earlier I offered a test transmission to see if it really were me. He declined and said it did not bother him and he actually thought it was funny (go figure) what he thought was really funny was that the unit wasn't even turned on.
I further asked if he wanted me to come over and see if there was anything about his equipment that might be enabling the interference and he said no, he didn't want me in his rv. I did find out his speakers that were wired were connected with lamp cord and not twisted pair wire and that some were wireless.
We will be leaving in a couple weeks so I don't transmit during prime viewing and he still insists it is not something to worry about ( we still make daily friendly small talk outside).
Funny thing or maybe the lucky thing is no one else in the park says anything, nor any other park.
Personally I think he has inferior equipment that is picking transmitting RF off of the antenna, you know the power out and not stray RF. Good thing I didn't hook up the Ameritron yet, gee what do I have to look forward to.

JIM

I liked everyone's answer on how they would deal with it, but the whole story got me thinking how much of this was made up by him after he saw your antennas and wanted to gauge your reaction?

WD8QBQ · 04-05-2011, 02:57 PM

I continue to wonder the same, as no one anywhere has ever had anything to say before him????

JIM

KF5BET · 04-08-2011, 09:23 AM

Maybe he has nothing better to do!!

One Country Boy · 04-08-2011, 10:26 AM

Jim, I wonder if you're the problem I'm having here at home? Hee hee

WD8QBQ · 04-08-2011, 03:51 PM

Tell me your problem and I will give you my answer

JIM violin

W5DOK · 04-09-2011, 07:53 AM

OK Jim, here's the problem. There's this guy in Mexico that claims that I'm coming in on his Kenwood. How do I keep my Icom off his Kenwood?

One Country Boy · 04-09-2011, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by W5DOK

OK Jim, here's the problem. There's this guy in Mexico that claims that I'm coming in on his Kenwood. How do I keep my Icom off his Kenwood?

Now there's a good one.

I cannot wait to see the answer.

WD8QBQ · 04-09-2011, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by W5DOK

OK Jim, here's the problem. There's this guy in Mexico that claims that I'm coming in on his Kenwood. How do I keep my Icom off his Kenwood?

Just tell him to send the Kenwood to you prepaid shipping and you will see that it is adjusted so as not to receive signals from an Icom.

No charge for labor!

JIM

W5DOK · 04-09-2011, 11:08 AM

Good one!

One Country Boy · 04-09-2011, 06:31 PM

Yep, that's a good answer. I kinda like them Kennywoods though. Sorta partial to 'em.

WD8QBQ · 04-09-2011, 07:26 PM

I like all radios, but when someone needs a fine adjustment I'm not going to be too concerned. If I mess up, I can say, well what did you expect, I'm an AMATEUR.

JIM

Oldmax · 12-03-2011, 06:24 AM

One time I had a neighbor tell me that I had to stop talking in radio because I was comming in on his TV. Have three beams on two towers. I told him that was I would like to know it could be me since I haden't been on radio or even had one hooked up for over two years. I didn't tell him about next door neighbor that had a vertical astron 11 METER In a tree, using a 500 watt solid state amp with no low pass filter or anything. He was also coming in on my TV.

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