Radio frequency interference (RFI) has become an issue for many radio amateurs in the past decade. Solar energy systems, LEDs, switching power supplies, dimmers, variable-speed motor controllers and other non-linear devices have all raised the noise floor. This impacts radio amateurs across the board, including those participating in emergency communications, traffic handling, and those talking with friends on the air. In some cases, it makes communicating via amateur radio all but impossible. To combat this problem, the ARRL New England Division has created teams to help radio amateurs find sources of RFI and eliminate or reduce the interference. These teams are also able to provide additional assistance when required, such as working with utility companies, the ARRL, or even the FCC. A $23,640 ARDC grant will allow the New England Division to purchase RFI equipment for each of the seven sections in the division. Each kit will have the following equipment: Icom IC-705 transceiver, outfitted with a backpack and spare battery, for RFI detection and spectrum capture. DX Engineering NOISELOOP receiving antenna and a DXE-NL-PRE-ATT-1 preamplifier- attenuator to detect sources of high-frequency RFI. Elk Antennas 2M/440L5 Dual-Band Antenna for locating RFI sources in the VHF and UHF portions of the spectrum. In addition, the division will be purchasing a Radar Engineering RE-243 Broadband RFI Locator for detecting power-line noise and a Radar Engineering RE-245 Circuit Sniffer for detecting indoor noise sources. This equipment will be dispatched to the sections when needed. The funds will also help the division with on-site training for all seven New England section teams. Rob Leiden, K1UI, Assistant Director for Spectrum Protection & Utilization, notes, “This grant will really help our dedicated teams combat RFI throughout the New England Division. About the ARRL New England Division Founded in 1914 as the American Radio Relay League, ARRL is a noncommercial organization of radio amateurs.The New England Division includes the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. In this geographic area, the division supports the awareness and growth of amateur radio, strives to involve members and get them on the air, encourages radio experimentation and education, and organizes and trains volunteers to serve their communities by providing public service and emergency communications. To learn more about the ARRL New England Division, go to https://nediv.arrl.org/. About ARDC Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) is a California-based foundation with roots in amateur radio and the technology of internet communication. The organization got its start by managing the AMPRNet address space, which is reserved for licensed amateur radio operators worldwide. Additionally, ARDC makes grants to projects and organizations that follow amateur radio’s practice and tradition of technical experimentation in both amateur radio and digital communication science. Such experimentation has led to advances that benefit the general public, including the mobile phone and wireless internet technology. ARDC envisions a world where all such technology is available through open source hardware and software, and where anyone has the ability to innovate upon it. To learn more about ARDC, go to https://www.ampr.org.
Why don't they buy some real instrumentation equipment for detecting interference sources. The RE-243 Broadband RFI Locator will work good for AC type RFI, like finding Grow Lights (the type used by illegal marijauna growers can be "spewing objectionable levels of RF"). If that is the case they don't want to be knocking on doors.... .. There's a lot cheaper sources of SDR type Spectrum analyzers than a IC705 transceiver. Non-profit should spend our money wisely 73 from, The K0UO " Rhombic Antenna Farm" 2 miles of wire in the Air & On the AIR daily
Maybe the IC-705 will be serving other purposes, too, as it is primarily a... transceiver who knows... Oliver
I sure hope the ARRL/ARDC uses diversity, equity and inclusion in this process. (Sarcasm) They should buy some fresh yellow vests, too. What's another couple bucks when you have $24K to play with.
Unfortunately, (some) grow lights used by legal marijuana growers in their homes are further adding to the RFI contamination of our bands. 73 es ZUT, Chip W9EBE
I think what the New England Division is doing is an excellent example of the kind of things the League should be doing and hasn’t been. Director Fred Kemmerer has made his position a full-time job and appointed four assistant directors to assist with his work. An IC-705 is an ideal piece of equipment for this purpose. As for the cost…..did anyone say how much they paid for them? Maybe they got a great discount on seven pieces. Before you criticize give them a change and judge them on performance and not base it on personal bias or prejudices.
I've used an IC-705 to find interference. Works great. Now if someone could actually DO SOMETHING once the interference is found...like the FCC who we ACTUALLY PAY TAXES for to DO THEIR JOB...
This is what happens when you live in the northeast. I have no RFI here in the country. Glad my father moved us out of Philly many years ago.
I respectfully disagree. The objective is to show what radio amateurs can do to provide spectrum management (by providing info on illegal spectrum excursions), with 2-way-capable equipment familiar to the amateur radio service. In other words, 'what can hams do as hams' to keep illegal activity (read: interference) monitored, localized, and thus at bay? This trial project seems a great way to get feedback on what works and what doesn't, as a pilot for something more general and larger scale. 73 Chip W1YW
Okay I understand now. I thought they were actually going to get some real Certified lab grade equipment and put a task force together. Hands on training is good. I've been an ARRL Volunteer Consulting Engineer and a Technical Specialist for many years. And of course we all know we can use amateur equipment to trace down noise problems. However I see many hams time and time again, after they have found the RFI sources, the RF source owners want to see real evidence from Certified calibrated Equipment. They just try to blow off a lot of the hams efforts, of course this isn't always the case. With the problems increasing daily it would be great to see the ARRL mount a major effort to support their all their Technical Specialists in the field. Which in turn would help all amateurs.
... And it requires a $1000 laptop and antennas, so you end up with a clunky pile of wires and boxes and a screen that's too dim to read outdoors, limited battery life, and physically delicate USB interfaces, etc. Integrated solution like 705 is a much better idea.
