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ANTENNA
RF REST OF RECEIVER
AMPLIFIER >---- - CIRCUITS
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CHASSIS GROUND BUS
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POWER
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Figures 2 and 3 characterize this hash level. It is more intense on the DISTANCE FROM NOISE SOURCE
noise emission in two different ways. lower frequencies, but annoying
Figure 2 shows the relative level in well into the shortwave bands.
audible, but barely so. Walk, drive, or the noise source (which is always the
arbitrary units versus frequency. Figure 3 characterizes the 60 Hz
turn your antenna in first one direc- best solution!), but there are some
Typical intensity levels might run from power line EMI problem as a func-
tion and then the other to see in things that you can do about the
a fraction of a microvolt per meter tion of distance from the noise
which direction an increase is noted. problem at your receiver. Let's take a
(µV/m) to nearly 500,000 µV/m, source. Again, because the actual
Go in that direction until the signal is look at some of those problems.
depending on the source (which is values of the distance and signal
again strong. First, let's look at one of the
why Figure 2 is in "arbitrary voltage strength vary with your particular sit-
At that point, pick another high- sources of the problem. Let's assume
units"). uation, relative units are used in
er frequency at which the noise is
Note in Figure 2 that the distrib- Figure 3. Note that the 500 KHz (bot-
just barely audible and repeat the
ution of signal intensity is uneven tom of AM BCB) strength does not
process. This process is repeated at 2t;'te<U€~
throughout the spectrum. The levels fall off nearly as fast as the higher
successively higher frequencies until
will be extremely high in the VLF por- frequency components. you are very, very close to the source . . 4 P~ t3evvt
tion of the spectrum, and fall off ·This fact leads us to a strategy
At that time, start looking for likely
almost evenly up into the UHF spec-
-~~- SECRETS OF
for finding the source. Start at the
culprits.
trum. If you tune into the AM BCB or lowest frequency, and tune to higher
Once the source is located, it can
RF CIRCUIT
medium wave bands (up to about 7 frequencies until the noise just
be dealt with by one or more meth- DESIGN
MHz or so), then you will note a high begins to disappear. You want it
ods. If it is the power line (loose con- l'!Jrom one of
nections raise hob with
T today's most
respected electron-
ANTENNA reception!), then contact ics authors comes
the power company and ask this pragmatic,
Figure 4 - The source of internal AC intermediate-level guide to designing,
them to fix it ... demand it if building, and testing all types of radio
hash and harmonic noise in a receiver.
they balk. If it turns out to frequency circuits. Filled with func-
be an appliance, then either tional projects that demonstrate the
principles of RF circuits, this revision
the appliance needs repair of a bestseller also provides a handy
RF REST OF RECEIVER or some sort of filtering is parts list and sources of components.
AMPLIFIER CIRCUITS needed.
A1 Unless it is your appli- PRACTICAL
ance, I recommend having a ANTENNA
A2 professional technician actu-
CHASSIS GROUND BUS
ally do the work. If you do
HANDBOOK
.-,,e most popu-
I the necessary work on your 1 lar book on an-
GND I
neighbor's appliance, then tennas ever writ-
1
I
I you will be "married to it" if ten, widely known
as "the antenna
p
1 excuse to get someone else most experienced engineer. This
I EXTERNAL EARTH GROUND
------------
1 · / to pick up their tab). empowering book gives you all kinds
of projects and material that explains
why what you did works.
WALL
J1
D Things To Do At
OUTLET
Your Receiver As a paid subscriber to
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78 MAY 2000/Nuts & Volts Magazine Write In 31 on Reader Service Card. Write In 32 on Reader Service Card.
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Dealing With AC Power Line EMI
HOT :
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NEUTRAL NEUTRAL
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Figure 8 - AC power line EMI L-C low-pass
RECEIVER
filter (see warning in text).
ONE OR MORE
AC POWER FERRITE BLOCKS
LINE CORD age rating of 125 volts but the local power company. could
AC, and 1,400 volts DC not find any problem.
(tested to at least 2,800 That winter, a strange thing
volts DC). Electronic started happening with the lights in
parts catalogs are a my home. Whenever any heavy cur-
good guide to suitable rent drain (refrigerator, freezer, fur-
types of capacitor. nace) would turn on, the lights
SAFETY NOTE: would nearly double in brightness.
Working with AC power Notice anything odd? Lights should
you might want to either use the fer- problem of EMI carried into the lines is dangerous. Accidental con- dim, not get brighter, when a heavy
rite rod approach, or a ferrite block receiver on the AC power line is tact with the line can kill you. load is turned on.
as shown in Figure 7. shown in Figure 8. The idea here is to Improper wiring or a bad selection of This time, the power company
Two views of a ferrite split block use a low-pass filter in series with the components, or improper construc- did find a problem. The technician
are shown in Figure 7A. These blocks AC power line so that the RF compo- tion methods can create both electric came to the Carr house about 1O
come in two halves, each of which is nents are snubbed out, leaving the shock and fire hazards. It is highly o'clock one evening, when the effect
notched such that when put togeth- 60 Hz to pass unimpeded . recommended by the author, editor, was nearly constant, and found that
er they form a hole. The application Several filter designs are popular. and publisher that you select a com- the neutral line connection to my AC
of these blocks is shown in Figure 7B. Some of them use separate pi-sec- mercially made, UL approved AC line power line service was loose.
The blocks are clamped onto the tion filters in both the hot and neu- RF filter made for this purpose rather The fellow raised his "cherry
receiver's AC power cord as close as tral lines, while the other uses a pair than homebrew your own. If your picker" basket up to the power pole,
possible to the rear panel of the of coupled coils in a common mode receiver uses the same kind of square at the point where my service tap
receiver. Once the blocks are arrangement such as Figure 8. AC power receptacle that IS found was located, and used the largest
clamped together, they can be This design uses a ferrite rod . on computers, then you can find a crimping tool I've ever seen to repair
secured with tape. In some cases, such as the Amidon Associates R61 - replacement for the chassis recepta- the connection. The lights went back
only a single split block is needed 050-750 to form L1A and L1B. The cle that has an EMI filter built in. to normal, which was a blessing.
but, in severe cases, two or more turns are wrapped onto the cord But the next evening, I noticed
split blocks may be added in series. with a size of AC power wire appro- Special Case that the S-8 noise level was down
These blocks act like RF chokes, so priate to the size. For the maximum somewhere near decimal dust ... the
will snub the higher frequency com- power levels, use #12 AWG solid About five years ago, I had a hash was gone. I suspect that the
ponents while not affecting the 60 wire intended for AC power wiring problem at my house that created loose connection was causing the
Hz AC power. applications. The turns for L1A and AC power line hash in great quanti- hash all along. Indeed, the power
Ferrite split blocks are available L1B are wound in the bifilar manner ties, and also affected my AC power company could have fixed the service
in a number of sizes and shapes to (Figure 9). service. For several years, I listened to problem earlier if they had taken the
accommodate a number of different The capacitors used in the filter an evening shortwave broadcast in EMI problem seriously. The hash was
forms of cord. Some are flat to allow of Figures 8 and 9 should be rated the 5-6 MHz band, and on Saturday merely a prodomal symptom of the
clamping onto computer ribbon for 125 volt AC service. Ordinary 600 night to WSM in Nashville (650 KHz service problem!
cable, in case a digital device such as volt or 1,000 volt capacitors are not AM) ... good country music is where
a computer is the noise culprit. suitable because they are not rated you find it {There! I'm out of the clos- Conclusion
for constant application of 125 volts et ... a Carr's a hillbilly music fan!) .
AC Power Line Filters AC power line voltage. A typical rat- The hash started one summer, AC power line harmonics and
ing for C1 through C4 is 0.0047 µF and continued into the fall, ruining spark hash can create havoc with
Another way to deal with the to 0.05 µF (0.01 µF typical) at a volt- many evenings of listening. It had an radio reception. But with the meth-
average sig- ods discussed in this article, you will
nal strength be able to overcome many of these
of 57 to 58 problems. NV
on my Drake
R-8 receiver
S-meter. I
suspected
that the
problem was
on the
Figure 9 - Construction of the power line EMI filter.
power ·pole,