Ham Radio Forum

The S-meter website, user forums, and receivers were taken down for slightly more than an hour this morning to enable RF noise source identification. Three significant RF noise sources were found.

1) The primary RF noise that caused us to perform the tests was found to be coming from an electronic fan speed controller located approximately 60 feet from the receiver. The noise from that controller is broad-spectrum, but is especially strong in the 40-meter band. That problem hasn't been fixed, but the controller will be filtered or replaced now it is known to be generating interference.

2) One of two keyboards that are switched between several servers was found to be radiating RF pulse interference across a wide part of the HF spectrum. That keyboard will be replaced later today.

3) Raspy-sounding, broad-spectrum RF interference centered on 3.579545 MHz (the NTSC color television subcarrier frequency) and all harmonics of that frequency up through 30 MHz was found to be coming from a Comcast Cable TV distribution system in the valley below the receiving site. Comcast will be contacted Monday.

-Bob