From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: Power, signal surges in home...
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Lines: 72

brian@ucsd.edu (Brian Kantor) writes:
: While it's possible that it's a ham radio transmitter that you're
: hearing, it isn't likely - every bit of signal that doesn't go out the
: antenna is wasted, as far as a ham is concerned, and most hams are

It is the radiated signal that would cause the problem.

: technically competent to ensure that they don't waste any signal if they
: can possibly avoid it.  To get their ham license, they had to pass a
: government exam that tests them on that point, among others.
: 
: However, you could be hearing a radio transmitter for sure - there are
: lots of other services where the operators AREN'T required to be
: technically competent - Citizens Band ("CB"), for example.

There is nothing in the Amateur Radio Tests that requires an technical
competence at all. It is a simple matter to memorize all the questions
and answers.  However, that said, most Hams that I know do spend quite
a bit of time gaining some technical skill.

: Listen to the interference.  If you hear voices clearly, it almost
: certainly ISN'T ham radio, and might well be CB.  If you can record a

Don't count on that.

: bit of it, you could take the tape over to a local ham operator's house
: and ask him for his opinion of what you're hearing.  Most communities

You cannot do that legally. However, you can ask a ham over to listen.
If the interference occurs at a specific time each day, then it would
be possible to do such scheduling.  If nothing else, you could invite
the ham over to transmit from your driveway, to see if he interferes.
If he does, then you probably need to have your equipment worked on to
make it immune to rf interference.

: have a ham radio interference committee whose members are most willing
: to help you resolve interference complaints.  Look in the phone book, or
: ask at the local ham radio store, or call the FCC for contact info.

The FCC may, or may not, have such information. They have enough to do
without getting calls for such information. If nothing else, call your
city offices or police department (general business number). They should
have the name of a local ham contact.

: If it's a ham, he's more than likely willing to help get rid of the
: problem.  After all, it would be his signal he's wasting.  If it isn't,
: the interference committee or the FCC may be able to suggest solutions.

See above - your concept of wasted signal is erroneous. If his rig is
transmitting properly, then the chance of interference (with the exception
of harmonic television interference) is the greatest - since he is putting
out the strongest signal.

: It is unfortunately the case that a transmitting station that is
: operating perfectly legally could possibly cause intereference to a
: piece of consumer audio or TV equipment just because the manufacturer of
: the consumer equipment cut corners on one little section of the device
: that wouldn't affect one person in a thousand, but which bites you.
: Often that can be remedied for just a few pennies by a knowledgeable
: person, perhaps even the person operating the transmitter you're
: hearing.

Unfortunately, most consumer equipment is succeptable - it is all poorly
designed.

: (BTW: hams are ALLOWED amplifiers; CB isn't.  "illegal ham amplifier"
: doesn't compute.)

It does, but not for a mobile radio. There are very few mobile rigs that
could power a 1500 watt amplifier.

Bill