AM Static

[Airbender]

I recently got interested in SW DXing again after buying a Grundig G3. But something is going on in the AM broadcast and lower SW bands that I don't understand. Occasionally on those freqs I have OVERPOWERING static that is directly related to the proximity of AC power lines. This happens on all my AM radios either in my house, patio or street. But..., if I goto the local park and walk out to center field the static is gone. This does not happen all the time. When it's not present the AM freqs are 'golden' I have hardly any static at all. I don't have the knowledge to understand this.

Is this some kind of 'atmospherics' like sun spots or the Earth's magnetic field? Or maybe I'm getting 'zapped' by HAARP (ha)

Any help to understand this would be appreciated.

 

[chrizby]

When I turn on a light in one of the rooms in my house, it blanks out the 40m band. My dvd player puts out RF hash all over the place. You will have to go through your house and try to find the offending appliance, wall wart, etc.

 

[k9rzz]

Try to distinguish between: static crashes (lightning), power line noise (buzzing), and various digital noises.

They all sound different and not all are called 'static'. See the RR Wiki somewhere, I'm sure it's there.

 

[kb2vxa]

Naaa, you're getting zapped by all those crap consumer grade electronic devices people just can't do without like the older generation did before they were invented. I won't bore you with one of those "when I was your age" stories but one simple truth, when I was your age (;->) I DXed the world without a buzz, click or a crackle (except for a ton of lightning crashes in summer).

Eh, you have the solution without even realizing it, your portable in the park. Bring a cooler, spare batteries and have a radio picnic! You young whippersnappers have it too good; my portable needed a forklift and a generator truck, the park police weren't too pleased.
(;->)

 

[MonitorMike]

Those compact fluorescent lamps (CFL's) make a fair amount of static. To the point that I put one of those Radio Shack toroidals on the power cord for it close to the lamp. It helps on 2 meters & VHF scanning, so I imagine it normally makes a lot of noise on HF.

Yes, I've heard complaints about wall warts noise on ham bands.