My PC was jamming my signals !!!

Metalhead396 · Jul 10, 2018

I just got my BCD536HP last week and I thought I was going to have to buy an outside antenna for it. I had it placed on my computer desk next to my PC and I wasn't getting anything. I then moved it over three feet to the back of the couch in front of the window and it worked great. I live in a trailer and thought the metal was messing with the signals. I then tried it again on my desk and it worked and I realized the PC was off. So as long as the PC is off the scanner works. Has anyone else had an issue like this? I didn't know this would happen.The sad part is it took me three days to figure this out. LOL Live and learn.

nd5y · Jul 10, 2018

That is not unusual. Computers and other electronic devices that are not shielded well, not designed properly, or tampered with by their owners can radiate a lot of RF and interfere with nearby (or sometimes not so nearby) receivers.

RogueSteward · Jul 10, 2018

If you have access to an SDR like the Airspy or rtl-sdr and put an antenna near a computer, a monitor, usb wall wart, (and the list goes on and on), you'll see pretty quick which devices are NOISY. I've got two monitors on my PC, they are super nice and easy on the eyes but crap they are noisy. I have RF noise splattered both in the 70cm and 2m ham bands and a little bit in the 70cm business bands. It completely goes away when I move the sdr about 10' away. The USB cable has to be routed just right too, but I did eliminate most of the noise. Sorry you're getting that with your PC!

iMONITOR · Jul 10, 2018

Use high quality USB, network, printer, RS232 cables etc.

I have a dual 7-core PC, a DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem, dual band router, two 8 port gigabit routers, color laser printer, and dual 24" LED monitors, all within 4 feet of my BCD536HP scanners that are using antennas inside my office and they work fine.

seth21w · Jul 10, 2018

WiFi routers are very noisy as well!

chief21 · Jul 10, 2018

And many of the SDR's are not shielded very well, either!

RFI-EMI-GUY · Jul 11, 2018

Outside antennas and grounding and bonding are best solution.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

BCasto · Jul 11, 2018

My PC makes different noise depending on what software app is running.

royldean · Jul 11, 2018

My one laptop has a cpu birdie at exactly 144.39 MHz. So I can't use terrestrial aprs whenever it's on!

Rred · Jul 11, 2018

Metalhead, I'll take odds that you don't know whether your PC *and* all of the equipment attached to it are FCC Part 15 Type A or Type B approved. There are two standards for interference, A and B, and the one required for "home" equipment has to put out less interference than the one for "business" or "office" use. Most PC sellers don't know or care where you are putting the equipment. And some just ignore certification and sell crap that radiates interference.

So, no surprise. Odds are that if you shut all the breakers/fuses and kill everything, you'll find there's even more interference coming from other unlikely devices.

RFI-EMI-GUY · Jul 11, 2018

Rred said:
(snip)

So, no surprise. Odds are that if you shut all the breakers/fuses and kill everything, you'll find there's even more interference coming from other unlikely devices.

I spent over an hour today looking for a simple indoor lighting fixture that accepts two 60 W incandescent lamps. Virtually every fixture is LED or electronic ballast CFL. You can't avoid them. People are buying this stuff based on style and pay no attention if the fixture is actually approved for residential use.

Rred · Jul 11, 2018

Two 60W lamps? Oh, did you mean "medium Edison base size A19" bulbs? Or....yeah, the standard light bulb, like the Western Electric Bell System standard phone, is a thing of the past.

Try telling some kid at a deli counter you want A PINT of potato salad. They have no idea that their containers are half-pint, pint, and quart, they're only allowed to sell by the pound. Even if all you want is a FULL PINT CONTAINER regardless of what it weighs.

I've had fun trying to find LED bulbs that fit in multisocket fixtures that require the old standard (A19?) bulbs. Trying to find ones that don't emit RFI...ah. comeon, that could be a fulltime job, there ought to be some funding for that position, right?

RFI-EMI-GUY · Jul 11, 2018

Rred said:
Two 60W lamps? Oh, did you mean "medium Edison base size A19" bulbs? Or....yeah, the standard light bulb, like the Western Electric Bell System standard phone, is a thing of the past.

Try telling some kid at a deli counter you want A PINT of potato salad. They have no idea that their containers are half-pint, pint, and quart, they're only allowed to sell by the pound. Even if all you want is a FULL PINT CONTAINER regardless of what it weighs.

I've had fun trying to find LED bulbs that fit in multisocket fixtures that require the old standard (A19?) bulbs. Trying to find ones that don't emit RFI...ah. comeon, that could be a fulltime job, there ought to be some funding for that position, right?

I am finding that I have to look in the clearance aisle at Lowes to find "Edison bulbs" . LED lamps on display everywhere and hurting my eyes. The funny thing about all this energy saving light bulb business is that most people live in locations where they must heat their home 8 months of the year. Those inefficient bulbs did a good job of heating. Now the gas bill will go up to make up the slack.

My PC was jamming my signals !!!

Metalhead396

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nd5y

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RogueSteward

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iMONITOR

Silent Key

seth21w

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chief21

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RFI-EMI-GUY

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BCasto

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royldean

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Rred

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RFI-EMI-GUY

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Rred

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RFI-EMI-GUY

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