Yes, but when I'm operating, my son is using his computer and can't simply turn off the speakers. He has interrupted many a QSO with RFI complaints. What about shielded computer speakers - would that help? What kind of ferrite bead or toroid would work?
Type 31 mix ferrite. That'll block a lot of the RF that the speakers pick up. Especially on the power cord, as the diodes that rectify the AC from the wall can also rectify the RF from your radio.
I use the fiber optic connection for my computer speakers. Using the analog out ports was always a pain. I guess I could have used a torrid, but it was just was easier to go optical.
PA3GTL, Wim in a densely populated area, you as a radio amateur would like to know whether you also cause interference to others and how you can possibly prevent this. In the Netherlands we live with approximately 17 million people in a relatively small country. Here, as a radio amateur, you can quickly cause RF interference in the equipment of others. The result may be that the Dutch Telecom Authority imposes a broadcasting ban on the relevant radio amateur.
Come on Dave. A NanoVNA has SWR as one of its parameters. I prefer to use a Antenna Analyzer, like my RigExpert AA230 Zoom, but could do the same with a NanoVNA. I will tune my antenna with one of those, before I ever hook my radio to it. I want to see my antenna have reasonable SWR before I try and send a signal from the transmitter to it, even just to check the SWR. A ATU is not necessary if you have a resonant antenna for the frequency you're operating on.
I concur. I use my Nano VNA for my HF antennas. and have it set to measure SWR, Log Mag used as a more (less ?) sensitive SWR measurement, reflected phase and importantly complex impedance / smith chart. It allows me to tune the antenna to resonance and then match the transmitter / transmission line 50 ohm with the resonance resistance of the antenna. I made up a switchable tap Balun / UnUn that allows me to match a resonant non reactive antenna to the transmitter. By dialing up a turns ratio from 3 to 14 on each side. It’s works well for 20-50W and I simply wind a transformer with the appropriate ratios for that band or bands to handle the full 100-150W my rig puts out. This is also especially important to match the feed for a magnetic loop where it is most efficient at resonance, and to be able to adjust the coupler feed to match as close to 50 ohms at resonance While a NanoVNA is a bit of a hassle to set up, in all cases I have found the information from the measurement much more useful than the antenna analysers I have used. Not so much what’s right or wrong, just what works best for you. I still hook a conventional SWR meter in the line at the rig.
@@timridley2739 the NanoVNA should give you everything that the Rig Expert does, but you’ll probably need glasses to read it. The nice thing is that it gives you a graphical representation of the complex impedance of the antenna over a chunk of spectrum. So you can sweep an 80m end fed half wave and see its performance between 3.5MHz & 70MHz for example. I have a 20m End Fed Half Wave Vertical for 20m and a trap with a short element for 40m. I scan 6MHz to 18.5MHz on a preset and zoom in to the band I’m particularly interested is to tweak the height / length.
Hi Sam, I'm pretty darn sure the TS-120s which was small and perfect for portable/mobile use and the larger TS-180s designed for base use were the first all transistorized transceivers by Kenwood and believe they were released for production in 1979. Before that time the Kenwood transceivers had tubes in their driver and final RF output stages. I purchased my TS-180s new back in early 1980 and it's still my main rig and my first contact on it was on Jan 29th,1980. 73, Don (wd8dsb)
I had a problem with a computer mouse going crazy when transmitting on 12M or 10M. Replacing it with a cordless mouse cured the problem. Apparently USB3 ports are much more sensitive to RF than USB2...
The point of resonance of an antenna is when its reactance is purely resistive but that may not be 50 ohms. Adding a little reactance to it can bring the antenna to 50 ohms.
Was someone adjusting your camera? It was shaking a little bit. Your new light is doing a great job. Just worried that the next door neighbors will have their speakers on.
Enjoy your videos. Small constructive criticism: Since you started the newer format, videos have been a bit shaky. Get Callum to start using a tripod instead of handheld, or go back to the way you used to do them.
Wow, twenty years ago, all GOOD computer speakers WERE shielded. That's how you knew you were getting quiet speakers. If there were one thing I didn't think the Chinese could screw-up, would be old fashioned computer speakers. I should have known better. There are stores, like ALL Electronics, that sell shielded speakers - and come to think of it, they do seem to have fewer of them on their shelves.
I found that even with the older style West Mountain RF shielded speakers (very nice speakers btw) there was some noise occasionally when using the vertical - toroid's cleared that up perfectly -
Wonder if most of the reason all decent computer speaker back in the day were shielded was simply because they were almost always sat right next to a crt. Now that everything is lcd based manufactures simply don't care about that anymore.
I was having this problem using an older computer speakers and after assuring all grounds and cable are good, I did everything, nothing helped. I decided to replace them and chose a Prosona 5 1/4” near field speaker and have not even a hint of Ed in the speaker.
I live by a busy intersection in a small city that is big on classic cars and motorcycles and cruising. Every time something with points drives by, or stops at the red light I start to hate the vehicle, the driver, their ancestors and their future offspring in the most misanthropic manner conceivable.
Ignition points aren't the problem. But those old cars will have ignition wires, not modern coil packs. If the cars do not have "resistance wires" you will get noise. Odds are someone is not using resistance wires because they think that's a performance mod. But don't blame the points.
@@lyfandeth Resistance wires radiate less, but less is not zero. The condenser (capacitor) could also be weak or bad in these cars. The condenser reduces arcing on the points.
Once in a while my computer speakers hum while listening on the 7300 at 40 metes (none of the other bands affect the speakers). I am clueless as to what is causing it - so I just turn the speakers off. 😊
Yes, but when I'm operating, my son is using his computer and can't simply turn off the speakers. He has interrupted many a QSO with RFI complaints. What about shielded computer speakers - would that help? What kind of ferrite bead or toroid would work?
Wrapping the speaker leads in a Torrid Core can also help with the RFI. Also, did you get a new camera? This video look much clearer that the others.
Type 31 mix ferrite. That'll block a lot of the RF that the speakers pick up. Especially on the power cord, as the diodes that rectify the AC from the wall can also rectify the RF from your radio.
I use the fiber optic connection for my computer speakers. Using the analog out ports was always a pain. I guess I could have used a torrid, but it was just was easier to go optical.
Tim KE8RHS
Thanks Dave. I have grounded the entire shack and it does seem to help. Also, my 440s does have an internal tuner..
I have my speaker wire wrapped around a torroid becaus I get RF in the speakers on 20m. Fixed the problem right up
PA3GTL, Wim
in a densely populated area, you as a radio amateur would like to know whether you also cause interference to others and how you can possibly prevent this. In the Netherlands we live with approximately 17 million people in a relatively small country. Here, as a radio amateur, you can quickly cause RF interference in the equipment of others. The result may be that the Dutch Telecom Authority imposes a broadcasting ban on the relevant radio amateur.
Come on Dave.
A NanoVNA has SWR as one of its parameters. I prefer to use a Antenna Analyzer, like my RigExpert AA230 Zoom, but could do the same with a NanoVNA. I will tune my antenna with one of those, before I ever hook my radio to it. I want to see my antenna have reasonable SWR before I try and send a signal from the transmitter to it, even just to check the SWR. A ATU is not necessary if you have a resonant antenna for the frequency you're operating on.
I concur. I use my Nano VNA for my HF antennas. and have it set to measure SWR, Log Mag used as a more (less ?) sensitive SWR measurement, reflected phase and importantly complex impedance / smith chart.
It allows me to tune the antenna to resonance and then match the transmitter / transmission line 50 ohm with the resonance resistance of the antenna.
I made up a switchable tap Balun / UnUn that allows me to match a resonant non reactive antenna to the transmitter. By dialing up a turns ratio from 3 to 14 on each side. It’s works well for 20-50W and I simply wind a transformer with the appropriate ratios for that band or bands to handle the full 100-150W my rig puts out.
This is also especially important to match the feed for a magnetic loop where it is most efficient at resonance, and to be able to adjust the coupler feed to match as close to 50 ohms at resonance
While a NanoVNA is a bit of a hassle to set up, in all cases I have found the information from the measurement much more useful than the antenna analysers I have used.
Not so much what’s right or wrong, just what works best for you. I still hook a conventional SWR meter in the line at the rig.
Hi Bruce, just getting into the hobby and the nanovna was cheap. Saving up for a RigExpert..
@@timridley2739 the NanoVNA should give you everything that the Rig Expert does, but you’ll probably need glasses to read it.
The nice thing is that it gives you a graphical representation of the complex impedance of the antenna over a chunk of spectrum. So you can sweep an 80m end fed half wave and see its performance between 3.5MHz & 70MHz for example. I have a 20m End Fed Half Wave Vertical for 20m and a trap with a short element for 40m. I scan 6MHz to 18.5MHz on a preset and zoom in to the band I’m particularly interested is to tweak the height / length.
ts430 was the first all transistor xcvr released in early 80's by Kenwood in the USA
Hi Sam, I'm pretty darn sure the TS-120s which was small and perfect for portable/mobile use and the larger TS-180s designed for base use were the first all transistorized transceivers by Kenwood and believe they were released for production in 1979. Before that time the Kenwood transceivers had tubes in their driver and final RF output stages. I purchased my TS-180s new back in early 1980 and it's still my main rig and my first contact on it was on Jan 29th,1980. 73, Don (wd8dsb)
I had a problem with a computer mouse going crazy when transmitting on 12M or 10M. Replacing it with a cordless mouse cured the problem. Apparently USB3 ports are much more sensitive to RF than USB2...
The point of resonance of an antenna is when its reactance is purely resistive but that may not be 50 ohms. Adding a little reactance to it can bring the antenna to 50 ohms.
Close but no cigar..
Was someone adjusting your camera? It was shaking a little bit. Your new light is doing a great job. Just worried that the next door neighbors will have their speakers on.
Patient: Doctor it hurts when I do this ___
Doctor: Don't do that..
Dave great topic. I can remember with high noise grounds help. 73 tnxs KQ4CD Paul
Thank you, Dave. I needed the reminder. N0QFT
Enjoy your videos. Small constructive criticism: Since you started the newer format, videos have been a bit shaky. Get Callum to start using a tripod instead of handheld, or go back to the way you used to do them.
Agreed, use Channel Funds for a tripod, good idea.
Wow, twenty years ago, all GOOD computer speakers WERE shielded. That's how you knew you were getting quiet speakers.
If there were one thing I didn't think the Chinese could screw-up, would be old fashioned computer speakers. I should have known better.
There are stores, like ALL Electronics, that sell shielded speakers - and come to think of it, they do seem to have fewer of them on their shelves.
I found that even with the older style West Mountain RF shielded speakers (very nice speakers btw) there was some noise occasionally when using the vertical - toroid's cleared that up perfectly -
Wonder if most of the reason all decent computer speaker back in the day were shielded was simply because they were almost always sat right next to a crt. Now that everything is lcd based manufactures simply don't care about that anymore.
I was having this problem using an older computer speakers and after assuring all grounds and cable are good, I did everything, nothing helped. I decided to replace them and chose a Prosona 5 1/4” near field speaker and have not even a hint of Ed in the speaker.
Using astereo combo usually solves the problem because of filtering in the ac and audio line.
The internal "touch-up" tuner in the TS-440 was an option.
I live by a busy intersection in a small city that is big on classic cars and motorcycles and cruising. Every time something with points drives by, or stops at the red light I start to hate the vehicle, the driver, their ancestors and their future offspring in the most misanthropic manner conceivable.
Ignition points aren't the problem. But those old cars will have ignition wires, not modern coil packs. If the cars do not have "resistance wires" you will get noise. Odds are someone is not using resistance wires because they think that's a performance mod.
But don't blame the points.
@@lyfandeth Resistance wires radiate less, but less is not zero. The condenser (capacitor) could also be weak or bad in these cars. The condenser reduces arcing on the points.
Just the problem that I have.
Once in a while my computer speakers hum while listening on the 7300 at 40 metes (none of the other bands affect the speakers). I am clueless as to what is causing it - so I just turn the speakers off. 😊
It sounds like he should hook a long wire to his computer speakers and be able to monitor 40 meters in his computer room for band openings.