Copper Talk » Open Forum » Archived Messages » 2002 » Archived Messages 05/01/2002 to 06/30/2002 » Aggrivating The Neighbor « Previous Next »

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Boxcar
Posted on Thursday, May 23, 2002 - 10:20 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here's a quickie for all of you who knows probably a ton more than I do as far as bleedover on the neighbors. I have been a CBer for about 6 years. Never had a problem whatsoever with bleeding until I moved. I have a neighbor that tells me that I bleed over his computer speakers. I mean c'mon!! Not anything else though, I have purchased a tvi filter to try and make amends with this fellow. I even set up my tower and have a base antenna that's a good 55 feet in the air from tip to bottom and I still have problems once in a while. One thing was turning his little touch light on in his house. Only catch is I do run power from time to time so it's not over 250 watts so what do ya think? I do know cheap components in some electronics will cause this but anyone with any pointers would help me a lot. Don't want to make enemies with the neighbor but I'm doing what I can. Good thing he don't have a pacemaker or he'd probably get zapped! The antenna is a penetrator 500. Don't know if that would do anything either!!
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Don123
Posted on Friday, May 24, 2002 - 12:00 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hello Boxcar:

Great you are trying to work things out with your neighbor. It is fact that today we have cheap no-filter or protected products on the market that just are junk for the most part for keeping RFI out. I don't have too much time but will try to help you some on this....btw I will give some links to so you can read on and research furthur for yourself.

The computer speakers I think you can fix very easily....but first explain to your neighbor that the computer lead wires that go from the speakers over to the main cpu computer are acting as an antenna...plain and simple...most of those speakers come with around 9ft hookup wires....so that is perfect for having problems with the CB band...9ft = 1/4 wave 27mhz...add 2 speakers and a jumper connector as most have and you have 18ft = 1/2 wave 27mhz...perfect antenna! So realize first what it is doing and I think it will help explain that it really is NOT your problem that the wire is acting like an antenna. To solve this problem go to Snap-on-Filters and get the square snap on ferrite filters of these square snap on filters and wrap as much as the PC speaker wire around them as you can as close to the speaker as you can. Add as many filters as it takes to cut the interferance...usually I found 2 of them per speaker does the trick. If you need to add more...and again if they have another spare par of speakers by chance or you do see if you cause them problems..might just be the speakers...but 9 times out of 10 it is the speaker wire acting like an antenna.

Now the touch lamp....well they are pure junk! They are a big big receiver and just plain trouble for us Radio guys. My personal view on these lamps would be to try to talk your neighbor into another lamp that you will buy for them if need be and take their old touch lamp and put it by your Radio with an ON THE AIR cover on the top bulb and call it good. There are ways to get around this lamp problem but too many for me to tell you here so go to this link please:

http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/touchlamp.html

Also here is a great link with many references to ways to help you with different RFI/EMI issues:

http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/rfigen.html

Of course there are other issues to look at too such as your vertical polarzatoin and knowing most man-made products/noise are all vertical....there are ground issues....coax issues to look at and much more involved on your part if you really look into things. And you noted that you do have 250w power at times..is this the times you get into the speakers and lamp or is it all the time with or without power? Since you have only one place on the band spectrum to talk 27hmz there is no way for you to tell if you went to another band if that would help or hurt your problem with the neighbors...would hope you look into Ham Radio as a way to get more band space along with CB...you can legally run power and the differnet bands Ham will give you might not interfer with your neighbors. Here is another intersting note and this Bill did pass so just wanted you to also know this ....and yes the FCC has on all electronic equipment/products it must except other interference but then again it is assuming your equipment is within standards and rules also....here is the link:

http://www.eham.net/articles/1499

Hope this helped some on your problem and there is more we can get into but I think this will give you what you need for starters.

Take Care
Don123

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Tech181
Posted on Friday, May 24, 2002 - 12:14 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Boxcar,

Get rid of the amp first. Run barefoot for a month and see if he has any trouble. If not, then you know where the problem was.

Computer speakers are poorly shielded. Basically they are cheap crap and possibly no amount of help can solve that problem. A good low-pass filter on your equipment, proper grounding, and conservative power and modulation levels go far in alleviating these types of problems.

Being sure the speaker wires are NOT cut in wavelenghts similar to CB (9,18 or 27 feet) can help. Also shielded speaker wire that's twisted can help. Ferrite chokes (mentioned elsewere on this forum) can be of assistance as well.

Touch lamps? LOL, They are great, and even harder to deal with. Here are some links on dealing with interference TO an FROM touchlamps. Although buying your neighbor a regular lamp may be more of a realistic option.

Link1

Link2

Above all, be cool with the neighbor. Do what you can to eliminate interference.

Steve
Tech181
Tech181@copperelectronics.com
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BIG FOOT
Posted on Friday, May 24, 2002 - 12:15 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

...if you are open for suggestions... set up a schedule with him to where you can run your power and NOT interfere with neighbors life ( late night, certain times on certain days )..encourage the neighbor to get his own cb / ham station, so he can have fun with radio too....let him talk on YOUR station and start having some fun with RADIO....do NOT go over board in trying to get rid of the interference..it may be HIS equipment being inferior and the best filters in the world will not fix the problem.... just be his friend... friendship will make it harder for him to fuss about any interference that he does recieve....try NOT to be too long-winded or play " lynyrd skynyrd FREE BIRD " too many times over cb 19....kill him/her with kind ness. BIG FOOT
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Rightwing
Posted on Friday, May 24, 2002 - 2:39 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

make sure that modulation limiter wasnt removed from radio. if it has , find out what it was and have it put back in.
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Skilletlicker
Posted on Friday, May 24, 2002 - 7:05 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

boxcar ihad the same problem until i installed a
low pss filter.works fine on low wattage 4 watts or so.it cured the tv, and telephone problem, but i cant use any power with it
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Alsworld
Posted on Friday, May 24, 2002 - 8:31 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Boxcar,
I have done a lot of research and work with my own system concerning TVI. Here is the good and bad:
Computer speakers the FCC does not require to be filtered so if he hears you and doesn't like it, it's really his responsibility to fix the problem.
However, running power is against the law on 11 meters so that is where you might want to be a bit more neighborly and work with him. You don't have to but it helps.
I would suggest talking to him and tell him you really want to fix the problem but computer speakers are a tough one. Explain that the FCC require many things like televisions and radios to be filtered, but not things like VCR's and speakers. If he is willing to contact the manufacture of the speaker concerning a filter for them, maybe you guys can work out a deal (i.e. you pay half or something). You don't have to pay squat but it helps if you're both trying to work the problem.
Hmmm, that touch light is something I affected but only when the radio was in the same room as the touch light. Don't know about a neighbors. Maybe someone else can add to that one.
Keep in mind that if you keep a legal station, no power, they can't touch you because you're well within all limits of the law. The amp puts you at the disadvantage in TVI disputes with neighbors.
I had to move my antenna setup about 100 ft away and my neighbors stopped complaining. It's grounded much better, raised higher than before, and I've worked a lot to fix the problem. If that is all you bleed on, sounds like it's workable to fix. Try to find out who manufactures the speaker and maybe some computer stores might have, or can order filters (Circuit City, Office Depot?). Let us know what happens.
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bruce
Posted on Friday, May 24, 2002 - 9:01 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

boxcar you are in a intresting spot its his fault but your to blame. Probley nothing is going to happen but try this get some computer beads from the radio shack and put then on the speaker leads OR if he has a mike on the computer on that too. Remember part 15 protection only applys to leagal stations. O by the way if you zap his pace maker expect a call from his widows lawyer.
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Ncrebel
Posted on Friday, May 24, 2002 - 9:39 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hello,well,actually this makes sence because most of the other stuff like his TV most likely uses
shielded coax while his computer speakers don't.
If it's not coming in over his TV that tells me
that the signal that IS coming into his home is not a very strong one.Most likely his computer is
on the side of the house that is closest to you.
As far as keeping the signal out of his speakers,
one of these other gys will have to help you with that one because I'm not an expert on how to block
signals lol.
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bullet
Posted on Friday, May 24, 2002 - 12:03 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

go alot higher than the powerlines,phone,cable lines around you,1:1 balun at feed point of antenna,keep modulation under 100%(90-95%),good grounding. thiers more but this usually is enuff to fix alot of problems
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101
Posted on Friday, May 24, 2002 - 12:13 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Go to Snap-on-Choke and get their snap-on ferrite choke (filter). Give it to your neighbor and have him coil the wire that comes from computer to the speakers through it a couple of times near the speaker. This worked well for me.

101
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707
Posted on Friday, May 24, 2002 - 12:54 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Boxcar-

buy him a ferrite filter for his computer speaker power cord, and use a BB gun to fix his touch light once and for all. Those lamps are a pain. I used to have one that turned up and off with just 4 watts output to my Super Scanner.
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Kirk
Posted on Friday, May 24, 2002 - 3:22 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

TVI's are a good way to start to make your statiojn compliant. Is this rig you have in spec? i.e. Doesn't overmod? If the FCC field inspector walked in, would you get a clean bill of health? If so, then it's up to your neighbor to understand that his computer speakers "must rx interference" since that is the protocol for todays electronics. To be a good guy, try using a ferrite core of mix 44 or higher, wind his speaker leads in this core as many times as possible and it should eliminate this problem. Use this method on anything that rx's your transmission. Any other ?'s, email me.
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Taz
Posted on Saturday, May 25, 2002 - 3:51 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Its his fault, its his fault its his fault. Did I mention its hid fault? If you bleed on yout neighbors spekers without your amp then its his fault. His tiawan speakers must accept all and any interference.
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409
Posted on Saturday, May 25, 2002 - 3:54 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

My computer speakers will even get cell-phone signals at a moderate range. As for the touch lamps....like they said there junk. They will come on an off with about any electrical disturbence . The body of the lamp makes a great antenna. Putting an off switch on those lamps is the only sure cure.
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Taz
Posted on Saturday, May 25, 2002 - 3:55 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

But its the unwritten law of the good neighbor to help him out. But would you want to take the chance on doing somthing to his stuff and then it just out of the bluse dosent work and then he blames you for it?... I saw screw the neighbor. I just came back on a 2 week trip from yellowstone national park with my school, and when I come back I have a message on the machine from a city of phoenix rep that says he came out and inspected my tower for safety and structual flaws and he said its all fine and dandy and he is dropping the case. I left my neighbor alome for 2 long weeks and he has nothing better to do than to call the city of phoenix cause hes bored? WHAT A LOSER!!!!!!!!!!!
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bruce
Posted on Saturday, May 25, 2002 - 9:17 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hey ive got a idea acuse your neighbor of electronic snooping since he is lissing to your conversations on a computer hummmmm.
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Taz
Posted on Sunday, May 26, 2002 - 12:39 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

hehe bruce
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Boxcar
Posted on Monday, May 27, 2002 - 9:28 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hey Guys!! Thanks for all to came back to me with a little advice on this. And "yes", I do want to eliminate the problem so checking out some of these filters that you wrap around the comptuer speaker wire just might be what I need. Thanks again guys, I appreciate it tons!!!
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RCI2990
Posted on Monday, May 27, 2002 - 1:13 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

You hit it on the head taz! Any and all entertainment equipment MUST accept harmful interference. LOL. Not mihc he can do but sit and stew about it...