Potential NJ feed?

[cassidy1190]

Dave you make a good point.  You will all be the first to know if I decide to sell.  I get decent reception on 118.975, 125.325, and 127.175 even with an attic 1/4 wave groundplane.  My whole goal was to pull in McGuire and just improve my reception overall on the airband and beyond.

Progress is slow, but evident none the less.  Like I said, I can pull in what I never could before.  I just have to have the squelch turned all the way down.  After some time I am hopeful I will get it all figured out. 

Another problem I have is something I still cannot identify because it tends to come and go.  I feel like it could be power lines or something electrical inside the house.  I occaisonally will get this exremely noisy static on VHF around 124-130 MHz when fully squelched and nothing can get through it.  Other times is totally gone...go figure.

[klkm]

you can try to pick up ny ctr 128.3 one of the busiest sectors in ny so would be cool if you can pick that up.

[cassidy1190]

I know! that is one of the frequencies I am pushing for as well.  As with McGuire, it just depends on the day.  When the conditions are right though I can get 128.3 and 133.5 quite clearly, even better than McGuire.  Its especially interesting when the tankers out of McGuire are operating out in the MOAs. Today for some reason is awful on just about every frequency.  I really just want to get to a point where I can listen to these stations without having the squelched turned all the way down.

[cassidy1190]

Hey guys I found out what was causing the electrical noise on AM.  I narrowed it down to the fluorescent light fixture on top of my fish tank in the next room.  When I shut off the lights the noise goes away...so now what?  I need the lights to be on for the tank to survive.  I have heard about chokes before but am not sure if they are the right fix or how they should be used.

[dave]

Hey guys I found out what was causing the electrical noise on AM.  I narrowed it down to the fluorescent light fixture on top of my fish tank in the next room.  When I shut off the lights the noise goes away...so now what?  I need the lights to be on for the tank to survive.  I have heard about chokes before but am not sure if they are the right fix or how they should be used.

There are some RFI filters that will reduce or eliminate the noise.  Can you post the brand name and model of the light here?  I will dig up some filter model numbers that have proven to be good.

[cassidy1190]

Here is the Solarmax HO light fixture: http://premiumaquatics.com/aquatic-supplies/DB-ADB42324.html
Let me know if you need more info, I have the manual here.

Also, right now there are some guys putting up a roof down the street and I am getting almost identical noise from their air compressor and the same goes for lawn mowers and just about any other type of similar equipment.  Will this type of RFI filter help with that as well?

[dave]

No, it will help with choking things you generate (at their source) but stuff that is outside is radiated and almost impossible to get rid of by conventional means.

[cassidy1190]

Ah okay that makes sense, because from what I understand about how to use them is one would go on the power cord coming from the light, and if need be another on the coax near the back of my scanner.