CB Interference
- Thread starter BillQuinn
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gcgrotz
Member
Probably not, assuming you are legal. What kind of antenna are you using, and how close to his TV? does he have cable? is it all channels or just some? have you definitely proved it is you causing it and not some nearby paging or other high power user?
Often when someones TV is not perfect and they see an antenna on your roof you will get the blame. I just had a high-tech lighting company engineer try to tell me that my Ham radio caused the light fixture to fail. Yeah, right!
Often when someones TV is not perfect and they see an antenna on your roof you will get the blame. I just had a high-tech lighting company engineer try to tell me that my Ham radio caused the light fixture to fail. Yeah, right!
W9GC
Silent Key
If you are operating a 100% legal station, it is up to your neighbor to cure his interference problem. "Legal" means the radio has not been internally "tweaked", "peaked" or otherwise modified in any way.
Tell him to look on the FCC label detailing part 15 of the FCC regulations regarding his television set. The label will be on the back or bottom of the unit. It states:
Tell him to look on the FCC label detailing part 15 of the FCC regulations regarding his television set. The label will be on the back or bottom of the unit. It states:
- (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and
- (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
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W9GC
Silent Key
Of course... anybody can sue for anything.
Criminal prosecution would be limited to a charge of harassment and/or disorderly conduct, but he would have to prove to a judge or jury beyond a reasonable doubt that you intended to harass or cause him alarm by your actions. Audio recordings would be the best way for him to do this.
If you are not harassing him, I wouldn't worry about it.
He won't win in civil court either - unless he can prove that you are being malicious with the interference by intentionally harassing him or otherwise attempting to disturb his peace. Again this would be proven only by audio recordings of the alleged interference.
Otherwise he would have no basis, his suit would be ruled frivolous and dismissed by the court.
Criminal prosecution would be limited to a charge of harassment and/or disorderly conduct, but he would have to prove to a judge or jury beyond a reasonable doubt that you intended to harass or cause him alarm by your actions. Audio recordings would be the best way for him to do this.
If you are not harassing him, I wouldn't worry about it.
He won't win in civil court either - unless he can prove that you are being malicious with the interference by intentionally harassing him or otherwise attempting to disturb his peace. Again this would be proven only by audio recordings of the alleged interference.
Otherwise he would have no basis, his suit would be ruled frivolous and dismissed by the court.
Highlander_821
Member
gc505 said:
Amplified mics are not illegal, neither is exceeding 50% modulation.
W9GC
Silent Key
...Just passing on the info I received in a letter from the FCC in 1994. I apologize If it is in error; one should never regard the word of a Government agent as truth without conducting additional research.Highlander_821 said:
Thanks for the correction.
SkipSanders
Silent Key
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The actual rule is no modulation above 100%. When you exceed that, you will 'splatter', your signal becoming excessively wide in bandwidth and such. However, you should understand that the FCC can, and will, order you not to cause interference, if they find you are, even if your station is otherwise illegal, if they so choose. It's far better to not do so, if you can avoid it. Of course, usually this requires a cooperative neighbor who will let you install the needed filters to their gear. Assuming you know exactly what you're doing, and can do so.
§ 95.423 (CB Rule 23) What must I do if the FCC tells me that my CB station is causing interference?
(a) If the FCC tells you that your CB station is causing interference for technical reasons you must follow all instructions in the official FCC notice.
(This notice may require you to have technical adjustments made to your equipment.)
(b) You must comply with any restricted hours of CB station operation which may be included in the official notice.
§ 95.423 (CB Rule 23) What must I do if the FCC tells me that my CB station is causing interference?
(a) If the FCC tells you that your CB station is causing interference for technical reasons you must follow all instructions in the official FCC notice.
(This notice may require you to have technical adjustments made to your equipment.)
(b) You must comply with any restricted hours of CB station operation which may be included in the official notice.
SkipSanders
Silent Key
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Antenna may be too high, if you're talking 'above roof'. Though usually lowering it will INcrease the interference, due to the radiator being closer to the other structure.
§ 95.408 (CB Rule 8) How high may I put my antenna?
(a) Antenna means the radiating system (for transmitting, receiving or both) and the structure holding it up (tower, pole or mast). It also means everything else attached to the radiating system and the structure.
(b) If your antenna is mounted on a hand-held portable unit, none of the following limitations apply.
(c) If your antenna is installed at a fixed location, it (whether receiving, transmitting or both) must comply with either one of the following:
(1) The highest point must not be more than 6.10 meters (20 feet) higher than the highest point of the building or tree on which it is mounted; or
(2) The highest point must not be more than 18.3 meters (60 feet) above the ground.
(d) If your CB station is located near an airport, and if you antenna structure is more than 6.1 meters (20 feet) high, you may have to obey additional restrictions. The highest point of your antenna must not exceed one meter above the airport elevation for every hundred meters of distance from the nearest point of the nearest airport runway. Differences in ground elevation between your antenna and the airport runway may complicate this formula. If your CB station is near an airport, you may contact the nearest FCC field office for a worksheet to help you figure the maximum allowable height of your antenna. Consult part 17 of the FCC’s Rules for more information.
§ 95.408 (CB Rule 8) How high may I put my antenna?
(a) Antenna means the radiating system (for transmitting, receiving or both) and the structure holding it up (tower, pole or mast). It also means everything else attached to the radiating system and the structure.
(b) If your antenna is mounted on a hand-held portable unit, none of the following limitations apply.
(c) If your antenna is installed at a fixed location, it (whether receiving, transmitting or both) must comply with either one of the following:
(1) The highest point must not be more than 6.10 meters (20 feet) higher than the highest point of the building or tree on which it is mounted; or
(2) The highest point must not be more than 18.3 meters (60 feet) above the ground.
(d) If your CB station is located near an airport, and if you antenna structure is more than 6.1 meters (20 feet) high, you may have to obey additional restrictions. The highest point of your antenna must not exceed one meter above the airport elevation for every hundred meters of distance from the nearest point of the nearest airport runway. Differences in ground elevation between your antenna and the airport runway may complicate this formula. If your CB station is near an airport, you may contact the nearest FCC field office for a worksheet to help you figure the maximum allowable height of your antenna. Consult part 17 of the FCC’s Rules for more information.
Bill, take the word of experience, there is no such thing as a legal CB station. The rules are such there is NO WAY you can operate as CBers normally and I repeat NORMALLY do without breaking one or more. Read them carefully to see how many you break each time you get on the air.
If the FCC wanted to and they don't they could monitor and inspect your station and send you a cease and desist order in a heartbeat, I've seen it happen and was personally assisting them in an inspection which resulted in such an order. It was a technical fault in the transmitter resulting in severe TV interference. The operator solved the problem by replacing the faulty rig, was reinspected for conformance and given a clean bill of health. BTW, I taught the field engineer in charge how to use his brand new spectrum analyzer. (;->)
OK, the bottom line is if you cause interference to your own TV and you have a similar setup (air or cable) as your neighbor, Houston, we have a problem. Try using a different rig and see what happens, if at first you don't succeed try try again. In other words you might go through several crappy rigs until you find a clean one, there's a lot of junk out there.
On the other hand if you're clean chances are something on his end is at fault. Whatever you do, DO NOT blame the neighbor's equipment, he'll resent it and you've made an enemy! Run tests, work with your neighbor to resolve the problem. The ARRL publishes invaluable information on TVI/RFI so avail yourself of it. If you need help your best bet is your local Amateur Radio club, if they don't have an interference committee they can always send you in the right direction. Avail yourself of their knowledge and experience.
You won't get what you need here, we can write a book but we can't fix it by remote control. What you need is hands on so go out and get some hands.
Skip, I wouldn't worry about it unless I had a problem with the landing wheels knocking the top off my chimney. (;->) BTW, the rule used to read "more than 20' above the highest point of the existing structure" so when was that changed? I had mine on a 40' mast bracketed to the side of the ranch house that had a 16' roof peak. 20', what a laugh when the antenna itself is 18'.
If the FCC wanted to and they don't they could monitor and inspect your station and send you a cease and desist order in a heartbeat, I've seen it happen and was personally assisting them in an inspection which resulted in such an order. It was a technical fault in the transmitter resulting in severe TV interference. The operator solved the problem by replacing the faulty rig, was reinspected for conformance and given a clean bill of health. BTW, I taught the field engineer in charge how to use his brand new spectrum analyzer. (;->)
OK, the bottom line is if you cause interference to your own TV and you have a similar setup (air or cable) as your neighbor, Houston, we have a problem. Try using a different rig and see what happens, if at first you don't succeed try try again. In other words you might go through several crappy rigs until you find a clean one, there's a lot of junk out there.
On the other hand if you're clean chances are something on his end is at fault. Whatever you do, DO NOT blame the neighbor's equipment, he'll resent it and you've made an enemy! Run tests, work with your neighbor to resolve the problem. The ARRL publishes invaluable information on TVI/RFI so avail yourself of it. If you need help your best bet is your local Amateur Radio club, if they don't have an interference committee they can always send you in the right direction. Avail yourself of their knowledge and experience.
You won't get what you need here, we can write a book but we can't fix it by remote control. What you need is hands on so go out and get some hands.
Skip, I wouldn't worry about it unless I had a problem with the landing wheels knocking the top off my chimney. (;->) BTW, the rule used to read "more than 20' above the highest point of the existing structure" so when was that changed? I had mine on a 40' mast bracketed to the side of the ranch house that had a 16' roof peak. 20', what a laugh when the antenna itself is 18'.
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SkipSanders
Silent Key
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Nope, the Galaxy DX55V is a 10 meter ham radio, not at ALL legal to use on CB, so yes, you're dead, if they call in the FCC.
OOPS! Sorry about the oversight, had I realized the first thing I would have said is DITCH THAT PIECE OF CRAP! Likely that's the cause right there, it's crap to begin with and illegally modified for out of band operation meaning it's suffered the golden screwdriver treatment. God only knows what else has been done by some numskull having barely enough knowledge to be dangerous.
Not only are you exposing yourself to some pretty nasty penalties imposed by the FCC but you're exposing your neighbor to spurious emissions caused by misalignment of critical circuits. Get legal, stay legal and through it all you'll come out smelling like the proverbial rose.
One last thing, "intended for use" doesn't say we use them! No self respecting Amateur would touch it with a ten foot Pole or even a short Hungarian.
Not only are you exposing yourself to some pretty nasty penalties imposed by the FCC but you're exposing your neighbor to spurious emissions caused by misalignment of critical circuits. Get legal, stay legal and through it all you'll come out smelling like the proverbial rose.
One last thing, "intended for use" doesn't say we use them! No self respecting Amateur would touch it with a ten foot Pole or even a short Hungarian.
When I used to be into the Cb scene I would go out and buy the filters needed to fix any issues with my neighbors, after all (I feel) it was not there choice for me to use it so why should they have to spend there hard earned money to enjoy the peace everyone deserves? FCC rule or no FCC rule I just feel it would be common courtesy to do the rightful thing and at least offer to rectify the problem.
Just my 2 cents!
Just my 2 cents!
Don_Burke
Member
The rule changed in the 70s to say that an omnidirectional antenna could be more than 20 feet above the supporting structure to a maximum of 60 feet above ground.kb2vxa said:
key2_altfire
Member
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The TVI coming from the Galaxy is probably due to harmonics in the power amplifier. Those radios are very dirty, saw it with my own two eyes on an Agilent network analyzer. The guy that owned the radio was an RF engineer, tried for weeks to build a filter to clean up the signal but no luck. I would have to agree with others that even if the CB station is found to be legal that the Galaxy is not a good radio to have in the urban setting.
As long as we've come this far better late than let the thread die here. Key, there's more to it than filtering harmonics going up the pipe, the FCC contacted me for my TVI filter in the first place. It had no effect whatsoever, in fact the neighbor's TV ch5 was getting clobbered with the set on a battery and dummy load. It turned out a strong 3rd harmonic was being radiated from the case so the only solution was to replace the defective radio.
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