Any RF interference trackers in NYC?

[Brentd2183]

Would anyone have a lead on anyone who can track down an RF interference issue in NYC? I'm sure there are companies or maybe ham clubs who are into that kind of thing. Its a problem with the East 34th st heliport's aviation band antenna, 123.075mhz. So strong that even having the squelch at 100% the radio stays open and its constant static. Their old radio doesn't have the problem but the newer ones they tried to replace it with cannot handle the noise. I'm pretty sure its coming from the nearby powerlines but someone with a spectrum analyzer could at least pinpoint it before we start moving antennas and buying filters. It will even affect the aircraft's radios while sitting on the ground.

 

[techman210]

You don't need to go to all that trouble - Contact the FCC Region One field office. Usually dead radio signals in the aviation band are from a leaky cable system, but there can be many causes.

Just be sure you hear it on more than one radio, preferably of a different model number or manufacturer.

You can also "light up" the local cable operator first, and make sure they have someone come out. Indicate to them your next step is the FCC.

For life safety issues, the FCC is VERY proactive. It's not like going after a CB operator.

Columbia Regional Office
P.O. Box 130
Columbia, MD 21045
(301) 725-1996
Field@FCC.gov

 

[TampaTyron]

Second vote for cable company and then FCC. FCC could not care less about commercial/business users, but cares greatly about public safety and safety of flight issues. It may also be some other unintentional radiator like a CFL ballast or switch mode power supply. Good luck! TT

 

[kevinparrish]

Brentd2183: To my knowledge E 34th Street Heliport utilizes a remote-base station which is located atop one of the highrise apartment buildings (vertical monsters) directly across the river in Long Island City. . . This system was installed several years ago to increase the North - South radio coverage for East-3-4 Heliport. What I cannot tell you is which FBO at East-3-4 owns and uses the aviation remote-base station in Long Island City?

I concur with the suggestion of techman210 regarding the possibility of CATV system leakage affecting local receivers on 123.075 MHz. Also very important to "terminate" your un-used cable television lines.. Q. Any changes within the trailers recently with cable modems added or removed, television sets in the waiting room, cable tv lines just laying around with nothing connected to them, etc?

 

[rftechnyc]

What radios do you have now and what did you try to replace them with? I have done work at several helo bases in the area. Always used icom with great results.

 

[Brentd2183]

There is no remote base station for E34, I wish there was but not the case here. In the trailer they have an Icom A200 base station hooked up to a RAMI AV-1 antenna that is mounted on pipe on the front corner of the trailer under the FDR. It's fed with RG400 coax and its probably only 25' of coax. The radio they have now (Icom A200) has no issues and handles things fine. They however wanted a backup base station radio in case the current one dies. They went out and bought the Icom A220, I've tried that radio before in other locations and found it had issues not being able to squelch out. Sure enough they plug it in and complete static, squelch max, noise limiting etc, doesn't matter just straight static. I however have had luck with the Icom A110 which has been replaced with the Icom A120 which both have worked great in high noise locations. They are returning the A220 and bought the A120. Plug it in, same deal, constant static.

I'm just helping them out on the side, next time I stopped by I was going to walk around and start looking for computers, power warts, battery chargers, lights, cable wires, routers, modems etc and start turning them off and see if it was something local in the trailer causing the interference.

This antenna is in a very poor location. There are powerlines running below the FDR drive and are close to the antenna. You have a fuel farm right next to it and lots of other infrastructure around it that's just begging to cause interference. I was thinking of moving the antenna if it got to that point. To find the best spot I was going to get the longest scrap of LMR400 I had and put an antenna on a pipe, plug it in and run the cable out the door and walk around the fence line and see if I could find a quieter spot for it. Wouldn't want to go through all the work to permanently move it just to find out there are the same problems.

Was also thinking of using a filter, might try an FM radio filter to start, the Empire state building is less than 1 mile away with many radio stations on it as well as the Chrysler building.

Could also go the more expensive route and have a custom band pass filter done that only allows in 118-136mhz.


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[kevinparrish]

Brentd2183: I'm a regular flight crew member of N355AG and familiar with E34 St Heliport. . . I would start looking for localized CATV System leakage or un-terminated coaxial cables inside your trailer. . . Do your neighbors at Blade also have the same problems? Is the interference present at all "slots" at the heliport? You can also give Spectrum Cable a call and report a cable system leakage at the heliport. Since this is a life safety issue you should go to the top of the service que and reach a qualified technical staffmember at Spectrum.

 

[Brentd2183]

Hey Kevin, I've heard you out there, I flew for Liberty for 7 years and now EMS out of KISP. I don't work at 34 but when I landed there recently I helped them out with the issue and decided to stay in contact and continue to help. Blade never put a radio in their trailer, they might have bought a portable so they could listen in. Most of the aircraft I remember picking up static have the GTN series radios in them, they need a higher squelch setting than most but I don't have details on which spot was worse than the others. I can ask some of my other pilots to see if they pick up the noise.

I will certainly make the phone calls to the cable company to check it out. I've had the FAA guys come and help solve an issue at JRB a few years back, they moved their AWOS antenna from right next to spot Alpha out to the parking lot to stop bleeding on the CTAF.