Hi Radiorick and readers,
OK, you reprinted the text found in the link possibly in violation of copyright, but what is the ACTUAL source of such hogwash?
The nonsense about "standard" reactive (that's the correct term) lamp ballasts is bad enough since the actual source of RFI is the constant striking and restriking of the arc in the same manner as an old spark transmitter (wireless) but the misinformation about the newer solid state inverter ballasts is far worse. Please, no argument, I used to manufacture and test (QC) them.
The RFI generated is far worse and because of it's far different characterisics may not be recognized as such. The best I can describe it is similar to that generated by touch controlled lamps without the 60 cycle buzz, rather a rough, warbling sound. The inverter is an oscillator having a rough waveform, high voltage output rich in harmonics, and being highly unstable (no frequency control) the harmonics wander around the HF spectrum.
Like any flourescent lamp fixture, some are "good" and some are "bad", if you get a good one you're OK but a bad one can QRM your receiver(s) like a transmitter running berserk and out of control. In a worst case scenario they can disrupt radio reception over about half a mile. One final note, being based on DC to AC power conversion (AC operated units convert line frequency AC to DC and back to high frequency AC) there is little difference between them and the 12V fixtures found in RVs. Hmmm, just because you're a 12 Volt Man (song title borrowed from Jimmy Buffett) don't think you'll get good reception "in the wild" with the lights on.
I'm not faulting you Rick, but I suggest you do your homework on a subject before publication since what I read runs contrary to my knowledge and experience as an electrician, electronics technician and Amateur Radio operator.
