Same conversation on 3 channels

[DDan]

Originally Posted by tcg

I did manage to get his call sign and he is the owner of the antenna in the picture I posted.

Thanks guys for helping me narrow this down. I will post the results after I talk with him.

Matt

Glad I could help. Keep in mind that due to your close proximity that there will not be much that he can do to alleviate the problem. If you were to use a directional antenna and point it toward the lake, where would he be in relation to the antenna? Tone lockout is possible as well. Is he using a tone? If so, can you lockout that tone on your scanner? If he his using simplex maybe he can just shift frequencies.

It really is your problem because he is probably doing nothing wrong. It is the wide frontend on your scanner that is causing the problem and you need to approach it that way. If you are nice and he is nice, you guys may be able to find a solution.

[tcg]

Originally Posted by DDan

Glad I could help. Keep in mind that due to your close proximity that there will not be much that he can do to alleviate the problem. If you were to use a directional antenna and point it toward the lake, where would he be in relation to the antenna? Tone lockout is possible as well. Is he using a tone? If so, can you lockout that tone on your scanner? If he his using simplex maybe he can just shift frequencies.

It really is your problem because he is probably doing nothing wrong. It is the wide frontend on your scanner that is causing the problem and you need to approach it that way. If you are nice and he is nice, you guys may be able to find a solution.

I did find some info about him online. He seems very active in the ham community.

I'm kind of in the middle of the area we listen to so the antenna thing probably won't work. If it is my problem could a different scanner solve the problem?

If a new scanner would work what should I look for? Is the tone lock out a feature I can find on a budget scanner?

I'm sure my neighbor will offer some suggestions as well.

Matt

[DDan]

Originally Posted by tcg

I did find some info about him online. He seems very active in the ham community.

I'm kind of in the middle of the area we listen to so the antenna thing probably won't work. If it is my problem could a different scanner solve the problem?

If a new scanner would work what should I look for? Is the tone lock out a feature I can find on a budget scanner?

I'm sure my neighbor will offer some suggestions as well.

Matt

I am gonna guess that your neighbor will attempt to help you, he sounds like the type. Talk to him and see what he suggests.

[rvictor]

Originally Posted by tcg

On my scanner RS Pro-2030 I can lock out a programed channel but I'm not sure about a tone lock out.

A feature that I don't have or am I misunderstanding you?

Matt

I just tracked down a manual for your scanning and it doesn't appear that your scanner has the feature that I was suggesting to solve your problem.

Sorry,

Dick

[kb2vxa]

The key to this whole thing is cable channel 18, like I said his 2M signals are getting into the cable. You can't do anything about it and neither can he, that's the cable company's responsibility to find and plug the leak. If he's getting in cable signals are getting out over the air so the two of you should approach the cable provider on the matter. You may be faced with an I don't care attitude, profound ignorance bordering on stupidity or you may get lucky but once you've notified them the ball is in their court, you have done your bit and the blood is on their hands, not yours.

As for the scanner interference the deal is to filter out the 2M signals. He can help you with that, a simple coaxial quarter wave open stub connected to the line with a T connector worked for me before I was a ham and had that very same problem only with a different VHF band. If that doesn't fix it look toward a tunable notch filter.

He can use any mode on 2M and FM is but one of them so there are quite a few reasons why you're not hearing him clearly. Those modem tones tell me he uses digital AX25 packet mode at 2600bd, one of my personal favorites. (On 70cM 9600bd is permitted) While you're there maybe you can ask him if he's seen me on the BBS, if he posts bulletins to @WW I just may know him. If it's ARPS that's a different use for packet I'm familiar with but don't presently use. The references to video may be SSTV permitted on all bands or fast scan ATV on 70cM being hams use a 2M voice channel to coordinate on 70cM. Here's a neat trick, you can receive ATV by using a TV in cable mode connected to an antenna, I believe on channels 58 and 60 if I remember how I did it some years ago.

Anyway stop yapping about it and go see the guy and get some help with your problem. Git goin' now, I'm awfully curious to see how it all works out.

[tcg]

Originally Posted by kb2vxa

The key to this whole thing is cable channel 18, like I said his 2M signals are getting into the cable. You can't do anything about it and neither can he, that's the cable company's responsibility to find and plug the leak. If he's getting in cable signals are getting out over the air so the two of you should approach the cable provider on the matter. You may be faced with an I don't care attitude, profound ignorance bordering on stupidity or you may get lucky but once you've notified them the ball is in their court, you have done your bit and the blood is on their hands, not yours.

As for the scanner interference the deal is to filter out the 2M signals. He can help you with that, a simple coaxial quarter wave open stub connected to the line with a T connector worked for me before I was a ham and had that very same problem only with a different VHF band. If that doesn't fix it look toward a tunable notch filter.

He can use any mode on 2M and FM is but one of them so there are quite a few reasons why you're not hearing him clearly. Those modem tones tell me he uses digital AX25 packet mode at 2600bd, one of my personal favorites. (On 70cM 9600bd is permitted) While you're there maybe you can ask him if he's seen me on the BBS, if he posts bulletins to @WW I just may know him. If it's ARPS that's a different use for packet I'm familiar with but don't presently use. The references to video may be SSTV permitted on all bands or fast scan ATV on 70cM being hams use a 2M voice channel to coordinate on 70cM. Here's a neat trick, you can receive ATV by using a TV in cable mode connected to an antenna, I believe on channels 58 and 60 if I remember how I did it some years ago.

Anyway stop yapping about it and go see the guy and get some help with your problem. Git goin' now, I'm awfully curious to see how it all works out.

Just got back. He is a very nice guy and was concerned about the interference. He said exactly what you said about the cable TV. I will make that call later.

He gave me a ferrite bead/toroid filter to try, no luck there.

He said he was going to research it and try and help. He also said after this weekend he would be on another frequency. We tried that and no interference.

We also couldn't duplicate the interference on his Uniden digital scanner.

I will show him your suggestion and see what he thinks.

All that aside he is a nice guy with a quite collection of radios scanners and computer equipment, I am not even a ham operator and I got interested. He is involved in Skywarn and invited me to the next meeting.

I did have an enjoyable morning. Still have the problem but learned some new things. They are doing low band TV. I am a computer geek I may get into ham radio just to play with the software.

Matt

[tcg]

Here is a follow up on the channel 18 issue.

I posted the question in Comcast's support forum. A member said he would forward it to a supervisor. Within a few minutes someone contacted me on the board and said he would have someone call me personally.

Within 2 hours I received a phone call from someone who actually knew what was causing the problem and said someone with the proper equipment would come and investigate the leak.

He gave his cell number and told me to keep in touch and he would resolve the problem.

That is the first positive experience I've had with Comcast. Hopefully they follow through.

Matt

[kb2vxa]

Well Matt it looks like progress! There's no sense in restricting his use of the bands when the interference is due to certain deficiencies in your equipment, after all it's not made to operate in the presence of a strong RF field. That's where a filter comes in and it's good he's helping you with that, all you need to do is keep 2M out of your receiver unless you want to listen, then just remove the filter.

Skywarn is a learning experience in itself but only a very small slice of Amateur Radio. You have a new friend who will open new vistas for you and if you're interested you can join our ranks and give him a bit of friendly competition. I used to live down the road from a world class ham and I mean that literally, he holds several licenses for operating in foreign countries and is a "champion DXer". We were members of the same club and I enjoyed busting his chops when once in a while I one upped him, the expression on his face was priceless. Just in case you haven't guessed the whole deal is a learning experience you can apply to scanning as well. After all it's all radio and there's more to radio than talking and listening, building and experimenting must be one of the best and incidentally profitable parts. Heh, I started with a hobby and ended up with a paying career.

Go for it guy, this time the light at the end of the tunnel isn't a train... unless it's a Southern Pacific Coast Daylight. WOO WOO! Little steam joke there.

Something clicked after the fact... Now tell me if this looks like somebody's butt! (;->)