Security camera causing RF interference/noise across scanners & radios

[dlwtrunked]

But that does not mean power supply for the camera is not radiating interference through the house wiring acting as a transmitting antenna that his scanner antenna might pick up.

I wish I did - I have had to make my own when I could not find good linear ones. But I am not certain that is the problem but still is a possibility. As others suggested, I would also try adding chokes before and after the power supply (if a wallwart use and extension), and at the camera end. Also, unplugging the camera (if possible) and seeing if their is still interference when the power supply only is plugged in. For a similar problem, I once wrapped the offending device in grounded aluminum foil--ugly but helped some.

 

[prcguy]

Snap on vs toroid depends mostly on convenience of winding. If you have large connectors already on the cable you may not be able to wrap a toroid but you can open a snap on type, wind then close it. I don't have data on the performance of snap on types but do on toroids and they can be very effective with up to about 30dB of isolation at some frequencies. I would expect similar performance from a snap with an equal amount of ferrite compared to a toroid but don't have windings vs frequency vs ferrite type data like I do for toroids.

I generally use toroid types for winding antenna choke baluns and snap on types for snuffing out RFI riding on power and other cables.

Is there an advantage to using the ferrite snap-on choke vs the Toroid Core? Or is it just preference?

 

[wtp]

and you could always try more...

 

[prcguy]

Beads over coax gets you about 20dB isolation max and you need a lot of beads to cover down to 80m, like maybe a 3ft long string of them. The one pictured is probably ok 20-10m and by 40m it would be rolling off.

and you could always try more...
View attachment 132243

 

[Danny37]

I wish I did - I have had to make my own when I could not find good linear ones. But I am not certain that is the problem but still is a possibility. As others suggested, I would also try adding chokes before and after the power supply (if a wallwart use and extension), and at the camera end. Also, unplugging the camera (if possible) and seeing if their is still interference when the power supply only is plugged in. For a similar problem, I once wrapped the offending device in grounded aluminum foil--ugly but helped some.

Yeah I realized I need to do much more testing soon to isolate which components are causing the RFI

 

[Danny37]

Snap on vs toroid depends mostly on convenience of winding. If you have large connectors already on the cable you may not be able to wrap a toroid but you can open a snap on type, wind then close it. I don't have data on the performance of snap on types but do on toroids and they can be very effective with up to about 30dB of isolation at some frequencies. I would expect similar performance from a snap with an equal amount of ferrite compared to a toroid but don't have windings vs frequency vs ferrite type data like I do for toroids.

I generally use toroid types for winding antenna choke baluns and snap on types for snuffing out RFI riding on power and other cables.

Looks like I will probably use the snap on ones you recommended earlier, just seems more convenient

 

[Danny37]

When I buy a ferrite core, do I need to buy the correct material to combat the RFI? For example if my problem is in the UHF band, does that mean I need to purchase the #61 core?

 

[Danny37]

I ended up figuring out what was causing the RFI. It was the spotlight accessory that connects via a micro usb splitter. I removed it and the RFI is gone.

 

[TGuelker]

spotlight accessory

Those are junk. I have 6 of them in a box. Sometimes they are recognized by the Wyze app, other times not.

Glad you found it. These types are maddening to diagnose.

 

[Danny37]

Those are junk. I have 6 of them in a box. Sometimes they are recognized by the Wyze app, other times not.

Glad you found it. These types are maddening to diagnose.

I ended up testing it out with my other wyzw v3 and it ended up being the Y splitter cable itself, not the spotlight. I've actually haven't had any issue with it besides the RFI but once it wouldn't work and all I did was reboot the camera and it worked again.

 

[Ubbe]

That Y cable looks to be a passive cable only device. Then it must have been working as an antenna and have no extra shielding or braid inside it connected to its metal housing.

/Ubbe

 

[Danny37]

That Y cable looks to be a passive cable only device. Then it must have been working as an antenna and have no extra shielding or braid inside it connected to its metal housing.

/Ubbe

That makes sense. I reached out to wyze and they said they make an upgraded cable now with a ferrite core attached and shielded round cables instead of flat. Makes you wonder if this wasnt the first time they've heard of this problem

 

[TGuelker]

I linked this thread on the Wyze forums. I own too many Wyze cameras and have not experienced this interference, but my antenna is at least 35 feet from the closest v3 camera.