Transmitting near a computer monitor

[DrLoomis1978]

I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the right place but, I still use the older style big back computer monitor and while testing my portable Baofeng UV-82HP my monitor would flicker, even on 1 watt tx power, and soon after it needed to be replaced. I replaced it with the same type of monitor I had lying around and now I'm afraid to transmit while I'm near it. Is there anything I can do to shield the monitor or would buying an updated one do the trick? Or, should I just transmit elsewhere?

 

[zz0468]

...Or, should I just transmit elsewhere?

I'd just transmit elsewhere, or at least a bit further from the monitor. Find a safe distance that you can operate from without bothering it. Consumer grade electronics like computers and monitors have lousy shielding, and it's usually not worth trying to fix it if all you have to do is not transmit next to the thing.

If somehow that's a requirement, then you can try ferrites on the cables, but I've found that in most cases of interference to a monitor, the RF is getting straight to the boards through the plastic case.

 

[fyrfyter33]

CRTs were notoriously bad about this and all kinds of modern electronics causing interference. RF usually interferes with the tube, not just the board

I use an HT next to my LED/LCD monitor without issue.

 

[jim202]

The old style tube / high voltage monitors just didn't get along with any RF transmitted near them. It messed with the high voltage circuits and generally created a situation where the internal electronics didn't know what to do and the high voltage took care of the rest. Do yourself a favor and trash the big heavy tube type monitors.

You may have a couple laying around, but they are generally on their last legs. The capacitors inside them are drying out and don't provide the filtering like they use to. Plus if you go to a flat screen monitor, you can get rid of all the extra support under the table to hold the monitors up.

They make for great targets out on the shooting range.

 

[KK4JUG]

Before I retired, I used to teach a class on bomb threats and terrorism. Part of it dealt with evacuation, what to do and not do around a suspected device, etc. I used a Motorola HT1000 to demonstrate the effects of RF. I keyed up the radio near a fluorescent bulb and caused the bulb to light up. I can only imagine what it might do to a CRT screen.

 

[fyrfyter33]

Before I retired, I used to teach a class on bomb threats and terrorism. Part of it dealt with evacuation, what to do and not do around a suspected device, etc. I used a Motorola HT1000 to demonstrate the effects of RF. I keyed up the radio near a fluorescent bulb and caused the bulb to light up. I can only imagine what it might do to a CRT screen.

Years ago when I first started, we still had MT500s operating on 33.9 and 37.26. I could light up 2 feet of a fluorescent tube with the RF from those!

 

[KK4JUG]

Mine was on a VHF state frequency that we were licensed for but didn't use. I used the smaller F8 bulbs because I went to about 25 counties teaching the class to LE and businesses and the small bulb was easier to tote around.

 

[DrLoomis1978]

zz0468

I'd just transmit elsewhere, or at least a bit further from the monitor. Find a safe distance that you can operate from without bothering it. Consumer grade electronics like computers and monitors have lousy shielding, and it's usually not worth trying to fix it if all you have to do is not transmit next to the thing.

If somehow that's a requirement, then you can try ferrites on the cables, but I've found that in most cases of interference to a monitor, the RF is getting straight to the boards through the plastic case.

Thank you for the fast reply. I figured that was the answer, but I needed to hear it from someone with much more experience than me just to be sure, and you guys always come to the rescue.

 

[DrLoomis1978]

fyrfyter33

CRTs were notoriously bad about this and all kinds of modern electronics causing interference. RF usually interferes with the tube, not just the board

I use an HT next to my LED/LCD monitor without issue.

My sister has an LED/LCD monitor. I'll try it near hers and if there's no trouble I'll buy one. Thank you fyrfyter33.

 

[DrLoomis1978]

jim202

The old style tube / high voltage monitors just didn't get along with any RF transmitted near them. It messed with the high voltage circuits and generally created a situation where the internal electronics didn't know what to do and the high voltage took care of the rest. Do yourself a favor and trash the big heavy tube type monitors.

You may have a couple laying around, but they are generally on their last legs. The capacitors inside them are drying out and don't provide the filtering like they use to. Plus if you go to a flat screen monitor, you can get rid of all the extra support under the table to hold the monitors up.

They make for great targets out on the shooting range.

LOL, yes I'm kinda living in the past with the big backs, so I guess it's time to update. I never knew about the capacitor problem but it certainly makes sense that things get old and don't perform as they should. Thank you for the info.

 

[DrLoomis1978]

KK4JUG

Before I retired, I used to teach a class on bomb threats and terrorism. Part of it dealt with evacuation, what to do and not do around a suspected device, etc. I used a Motorola HT1000 to demonstrate the effects of RF. I keyed up the radio near a fluorescent bulb and caused the bulb to light up. I can only imagine what it might do to a CRT screen.

Wow, and you were using Motorola. Imagine the damage a cheap Baofeng can do. Ouch! Thank you KK4JUG.

 

[KK4JUG]

Wow, and you were using Motorola. Imagine the damage a cheap Baofeng can do. Ouch! Thank you KK4JUG.

Actually, it wasn't the radio, good quality or otherwise. It was the RF. That's why they don't recommend using radios around any suspected explosive device, especially IEDs.

 

[jonwienke]

Wow, and you were using Motorola. Imagine the damage a cheap Baofeng can do. Ouch! Thank you KK4JUG.

That's asinine. The brand of radio doesn't matter, it is the total RF power.

 

[zz0468]

I use an HT next to my LED/LCD monitor without issue.

Your success with the LCD monitor is hit and miss. I've seen LCD monitors act up in the presence of trying from an HR. The typical failure mode is the monitor will shut down and require cycling power to restore to normal.

Consumer grade electronics are not designed to operate in the presence of strong rf fields, and newer designs are no better than older ones in that regard.

 

[fyrfyter33]

Your success with the LCD monitor is hit and miss. I've seen LCD monitors act up in the presence of trying from an HR. The typical failure mode is the monitor will shut down and require cycling power to restore to normal.



Consumer grade electronics are not designed to operate in the presence of strong rf fields, and newer designs are no better than older ones in that regard.

The answer to this is don’t buy cheap crap both electronics and radios.

 

[zz0468]

The answer to this is don’t buy cheap crap both electronics and radios.

Good luck with that. Is there a commercially available computer monitor designed to live in high RF fields?

You can certainly pay more for a monitor, but I doubt the more expensive ones would help with that. That's why my first post to this thread stated to just find a distance that's safe.

 

[fuzzmanmatt]

Good luck with that. Is there a commercially available computer monitor designed to live in high RF fields?

You can certainly pay more for a monitor, but I doubt the more expensive ones would help with that. That's why my first post to this thread stated to just find a distance that's safe.

I had one monitor and one Baofeng that just didn't get along. My yaesu didn't give it any problems, and my other Baofengs I've done for people didn't give the monitor any issues, and the other three monitors I've got have had no issues from any radios. Just a pair of flukes that acted off each other for the perfect storm.

Sent from my SM-G925T using Tapatalk

 

[wtp]

the question to ask is...

what is the name of those nearly indestructible laptops the the cops have in their cars ?

 

[SteveC0625]

what is the name of those nearly indestructible laptops the the cops have in their cars ?

Panasonic ToughBooks. I have a CF-29 and love it.

 

[mikewazowski]

what is the name of those nearly indestructible laptops the the cops have in their cars ?

There are several different manufacturers that offer ruggedized laptops. Panasonic and General Dynamics/Itronix are two that come to mind.