Does this sound like powerpole noise?

[VK2GOM]

That's a possibility Compton, but the result there could be they just drive up, take a quick look, and realise nothing could possibly have been doing anything like that then drive off again for the next coffee break with a job sheet ticked and no fix to my QRN.

The problem that's causing this is probably something like a loose bolt or a cracked or faulty insulator, that will only be found with close inspection and poking/prodding with a 'hot stick' whilst listening on some sort of interference monitor.

I have submitted all the forms and evidence to ACMA Radio Investigations this morning who are now involved, so I might as well see it through to its (hopefully QRN-free) conclusion.

Integral Energy are apparently known for fobbing off complaints like this, and obviously the team of condescending women on the front filter-desk work to a carefully crafted script. Their mission in life is simply to get you off the line. Every second you stay on there, you are nibbling away at their already sizeable profits.

Apparently they are directly responsible for repairing faults like this, but if they can successfully fob you off, chances are you might not chase it up, in which case they win. But since I am not taking this lying down, ACMA will hopefully advise them they are causing interference to a radiocommunications system, which is a direct breach of Integral Energy's ACMA licensing agreement Special Conditions, that state “No interference shall be caused to any Radiocommunication station or service..."

If nobody did anything, we would all eventually lose the amateur bands to the ever increasing noise of powerpoles beyond their useful life, or that develop faults, but are never replaced/repaired. A pole that carries current is a profitable pole, whether it causes RFI or not seems to be their philosophy.

73 - Rob VK2GOM / G0MOH

[VK3AUU]

You should also point out to them that broken or faulty hardware can also cause fires, and they don't want a repeat of what happened at Kilmore in Victoria on Black Saturday or it could get real expensive after Slater and Gordon or Maurice Blackburn & Co have run a class action against them. That might make them sit up and take a bit more notice.

David

[VK3LAJ]

Did you find out what this was? I have the EXACT same problem.. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlgpE0CT_Wc) and here is when there was a blackout to the whole town http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBMe0fyOXIg

You can SEE it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpftxVd- ... re=related



Your provider wont be able to help, they just re-sell. You need to find the people that own the pole.
In my case, i called http://www.sp-ausnet.com.au/ as i know they own the equipment , within 2 weeks they came out with an interference unit and promptly told me it isnt their equipment causing the issue..

Yet to confirm or deny this, but i am asking the ACMA for assistance as i also cannot operate from my QTH on any band below 20meters.. 160/80/40 = write off.

[VK3GK]

Several years ago i had severe RFI from a power pole.
Contacted the power company to be told "not their problem"

After getting the Interference brochure from ACMA, i explained to the power co that the interference coming from the pole was affecting my "Free to Air" TV on Channel 2 and that was illegal for them to interfere to a TV broadcast and they must rectify the issue.

That was the clincher, several days later it was inspected and said faulty inulator and tie replaced.

[VK3LAJ]

Its illegal for them to interfere with any communications.... but yes, commercial services interference seems to put a rocket up their a***.

[VK3GCP]

are there any other amateurs in your area? If so, ask if they have had the same issue and all call up and complain. While they are brushing you off, they will still be recording the conversations, so while a lone voice will not stand out, a few will.
Just my 2 cents

[VK2EAR]

Hi Rob, just found this topic & now you've got me thinking! that noise sounds very similar to mine...

Two weeks ago I finally after over 18 months of being licenced put up a dipole for 10/20/40 (OFC) & been getting into HF with a few contacts into the 10FM repeater in S.A & most states of VK & even a couple of US contacts on 40M, I have up until now just accepted the noise because I live alongside a train line & the noise is anywhere from 5 to 7 & peaks on a 9 sometimes when a train goes past, 40M is the worst, but on 10M it is almost undetectable.

I live on a corner block & there is transformer on a pole at my side gate, my antenna would be no more than 20 feet away from the transformer & at the same height! but unfortunatly I am renting, so I can't do much better for antenna locations

Looks like I will have to get out there with my handheld & a yagi too

Talk to you on air sometime Rob.

Michael

[VK2AAH]

Rob,

Sorry to possibly give you bad news... are you aware that ACMA response time for these complaints is some weeks so sit tight with that beer glass & hope that the boys at ACMA have some quiet time to pursue this. I personally think that in cases like this where it has been reported previously that the power authority should be fined once ACMA prove the source- it is wrong that they have first the many weeks ACMA takes & then the time allowed in the ACMA bluey once it is generated. That could easily add up to 6 months.

Cheers,


Richard
VK2AAH

[VK3LAJ]

Rob,

Sorry to possibly give you bad news... are you aware that ACMA response time for these complaints is some weeks so sit tight with that beer glass & hope that the boys at ACMA have some quiet time to pursue this. I personally think that in cases like this where it has been reported previously that the power authority should be fined once ACMA prove the source- it is wrong that they have first the many weeks ACMA takes & then the time allowed in the ACMA bluey once it is generated. That could easily add up to 6 months.
VK2AAH

Its christmas, i have no doubt it wont get looked at until Jan/Feb.. Ive only just realised they can actually handle the issue otherwise i would have requested help two years ago lol.. Did you see my vids? Pretty bad noise.. We also have all underground power cabling here so will be harder to track the problem..

[VK2GOM]

I should really give an update to this, after speaking to VK2FMJC on air the other evening reminding me QRN from this pole is gone. ACMA came round, who said they were sick of dealing with stuff like this where the electricity company denies the problem is theirs. In fact, the woman on the Integral electric company desk specifically said "The interference is not our problem, call ACMA". Anyhow, after some ACMA prompting, Integral's fault finding subcontractor VASP came out, measured the pole, and agreed it was noisy. The hardware was replaced about a month after that and the QRN from that pole has for the moment gone away. I still have HF QRN from plenty of other sources due to living in a concrete jungle, but this one was bad and extended up into VHF and UHF.

Lessons learned:

Be forceful with the electric company. Insist the problem is theirs. They tried to completely fob me off. The woman on the desk said "How do you know it's our pole causing the problem?". I told them I used equipment to direction find it, and prove the problem was the pole. I told her I had qualifications in telecommunications engineering. She asked what equipment I used to find that but when she heard it was a combination of amateur radio gear and a home made antenna she started going on about calibration certification and stated that my gear is not reasonable evidence and they wouldn't act on that. And so by insisting the problem is not theirs, it needed ACMA to get the ball rolling.

The way they operate is if they can get you off the line, it's one-nil to the electric company. If you can't be bothered chasing it up to get action, it becomes two-nil to them. As it turned out, one-nil to me

And after their treatment, I moved electric retail companies too - I dumped Integral and went to Origin. Good riddance.

73 - Rob VK2GOM / G0MOH

[VK2HRX]

Been watching a few articles in the mainstream media that are discussing underground power lines. Are these less likely ( or immune?) from generating RF interference along the lines of what a number of posters in this thread have reported with their above ground services?

Compton
VK2HRX

[ZL1LDS]

I have just recently resolved my power line noise, so hope what I did can help others. The longest part was to get the trees cut off neighbouring properties which were in the power lines up and down the road. The local power company then had to follower their process which took about3-4 months to complete. Once this was done my next step was to try and locate the noise myself, so armed with all the tips I received, also from this forum I managed to locate the noise to 2 poles. (See web link) After contacting the power company (Counties Power) I was told that they couldn’t do anything directly and that I had to report this to RSM. What I suggest is that you do your homework first and compile a report (like the attached) as RSM really appreciated it. This made their life easier, and did not waste their time. Was I correct, yes, spot on, all the RSM guy did was pinpoint the offending insulators and brown lightning arrestor. The brown lightning arrestors evidently have a habit of leaking voltage through to earth if they have had a close lightning hit, ie, they leak continuously.
What RSM did was send my report through to Counties power with his recommendations on the end. NOW the catch was that because I am not a professional radio station or the interference was not affecting any paid service, I had to be patient and wait for them to fix the problem if ever. Well just over a month and fantastic news, they fixed the noise on both poles and replaced all the insulators and lightning protection. WELL done to Counties Power Pukekohe for their excellent service and to the RSM guy's.
http://www.box.net/shared/i9hj8rtjab0gqsubzix6