Very noisy on SSB

SangueG wrote:

Hi Tony. If you are able to get someone to help with moving your silver rod up and down a bit that might be worth trying. Just moving it a little bit to see what happens. I say this because I had some horrendous noise last year to similar levels as yours, same radio too, so I feel for you. A few things helped, including fitting a 1:1 current balun/choke at the feed point, but the thing that almost entirely cured it was remaking the antenna out of different wire.

So just moving your antenna up or down a touch might help you.

Hi Neal, I don't have a ladder and can't locate anyone locally who would lend me one, I looked into hiring one but rental plus delivery/collection is a crazy  price.
In fact it's about the same price as a cheapie new antenna the same as I use.
I will attempt a choke as a first option, if that doesnt work I will use the RG58 that already runs up the garden to the T2LT and buy another Silver Rod to erect in front of the trees..
Cheers,
Tony

NoMad wrote:

Glad you re-understood me there Tony.
It does ruin the whole radio experience for me, and it's like I live inside a Faraday Cage sadly.

I would recommend a common mode choke though, and hope you get your reception sorted to an acceptable level.

73' from a grumpy old man.

Hi grumpy old man,
As per my previous, I will try the choke.
Cheers Andy,
From another Grumpy Old Man! lol.

Victor wrote:

No worries Tony and I hope you get sorted out mate.

Many thanks victor,
I hope to report back in about a week to let you all know how it goes.

Cheers and Beers,
Tony

Thanks to all for the ideas, now for the next stage.
I finally got around to trying with a common mode choke on the silver rod, sadly it didn't help.
I also got the 'orrible screech from the 6900 when I keyed up at the weekend (High SWR), on checking I discovered that the choke on the T2LT had been chewed probably by the bloody squirrels that 'er indoors likes to feed daily. Huh!
I have now put my quiet life in jeopardy by ordering another half wave and mast etc. lol, which I will erect at the top of the garden close to the trees.

Tony

Keep plugging at it Tony, you're bound to get there in then end mate.  

We can only provide suggestions from afar and hope that something helps you.

Sorry to hear about your squirrel woes, we had a similar situation with a neighbour that put out nuts for them but he's gone now and funnily enough so have the squirrels!

I wish you all the best and it would be great to hear about some success from you so I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Thanks Victor, I will keep plugging if I need too. I'm hoping that the new antenna will be up at the weekend so everything will be crossed for a good result, arthritis and old age permitting. Lol.

Yes I realise suggestions are just that, but it's always good to get ideas from others.

As for the squirrels I live in hope that the XYL will move like your neighbour.    
When she had a moan about the new antenna, mast, bits & bobs etc. I pointed out that the monkey nuts fruit etc she feeds them daily costs more over a 12 month period (about £120) than my hobby bits.

Hi Tony,

I've been following your QRM woes from afar, so thank you for sharing!  I've been thinking, and I'm pretty sure that if you put a call out on the local net asking for help to get the new antenna up, you'll get plenty of offers to do it.  We radio people are always up for helping a fellow enthusiast!

Cheers

Simon.

Hi Simon,
If we were still 80s-90s I would have, sadly the 'local' 11m operators leave a lot to be desired so would rather not.
How I wish I had sat the 'Ham' licence in 1998ish after swatting for it, but life got in the way.    I'm sure a licenced operator would have helped now but am not in touch with any.
All part of lifes rich tapestry and this is just a minor glitch for now.

I hope to at least get the new half wave on a ground mounted 3M mast tomorrow, wind permitting.

Cheers,
Tony

I have found these export types of radio do bring more noise than the old Cobra/Superstar 360 type and as I have both type sitting side by side I notice the difference.
My Mass dx5000 while a cracking radio is usual sitting on s4/5 of noise while my ss360 would be on s1/2 and my hf radios on flat zero...I usually either deal with it or turn back the rf gain knob a little without nulling the receive.

My antenna is prone to noise being a Vector 4000 but only on the Mass dx.........

Hi Sam,
On reading your post I dug out my ancient Madison and checked it against the SS6900, the Maddy shows one S-Point less on SSB but hardly any difference on FM.
If mine was the same as your dx5000 S4-5 on SSB I would be happy, but the last couple of days it's up a bit to S8-9. As per my original post my FM is usually around S5 which is ok by me.

Tonyvic wrote:

Hi Sam,
On reading your post I dug out my ancient Madison and checked it against the SS6900, the Maddy shows one S-Point less on SSB but hardly any difference on FM.
If mine was the same as your dx5000 S4-5 on SSB I would be happy, but the last couple of days it's up a bit to S8-9. As per my original post my FM is usually around S5 which is ok by me.

S 8/9 is high granted and checking my Mass on Fm today showed s4 with s4/5 on ssb...

I have a coax choke on my Vector antenna but I have always had one on any vertical I have owned so can't say whether it works or not.
I do own hf radios for the purpose of their superior noise reduction/filtering and what a difference but the cost is a factor but 11m has got noisier over the last few years.

The new Sigma Venom 1/2 Wave on 3M mast is finally up, complete with choke at the feed point, I'm very pleased to say the noise on SSB is now averaging S5-S6 which I am happy with.
I will add a choke at the radio end at some point.
Many thanks for all the suggestions.

Tony
CT 4013

Fantastic news there Tony!  

Just in time for the upcoming summer skip and your half wave should serve you well.

Really pleased for you mate.

Cheers Victor,
Can't wait to chat to some decent CB radio operators, the ones in my local area are *^%!@#.

Tony
CT4013

Hi Tony,

The Southern and South Coast Net operates all over your area every Thursday evening on 27.395 USB, so that'll be well worth a listen/call-in chap.....enjoy your spangly new set-up!!!

Cheers

Simon.

Hi Simon,
That's the Net that I have been attempting to get into as per the video in my first post on page 1 of this topic, but it depended on the antenna Ray (The chairperson) was using whether I could get him or not.
Even when I could hear him most of the others were just a voice pattern mixed in with the noise, fingers crossed with the lower noise level now I will call-in on Thursday.

Cheers,
Tony

I know what you mean with ass-hole 'breakers' on CB Tony after experiencing it myself when I first came back to it all.

Got to thank them really in the end.....it's part of what pushed me into getting a Ham licence and I've never had so much radio fun!  

There are some great CB operators out there though, (just as there can be ass-hats on Amateur Radio), and I hope you now can get to chat to some with your antenna setup. Fingers crossed you get into the South Coast net.


All the best,
Victor

Tonyvic wrote:

Hi Simon,
That's the Net that I have been attempting to get into as per the video in my first post on page 1 of this topic, but it depended on the antenna Ray (The chairperson) was using whether I could get him or not.
Even when I could hear him most of the others were just a voice pattern mixed in with the noise, fingers crossed with the lower noise level now I will call-in on Thursday.

Cheers,
Tony

Hi Tony

Glad to hear you have the noise problem sorted.

I will be listening out for your call

All the best & 73

Ray (The chairperson)

Victor,
I now really wish I had gone for the licence 24 or so years ago.
I was sitting in a friends car (he had a G0 callsign at the time) on local high ground and he had a QSO with a chap in Australia on 10M with 10 watts, at that point I wanted to do the same. He lent me the notes he made on his journey to sit the exam and also converted a York CB that I had to 10M with Tx disabled so I could 'have a listen'. Then life got in the way, sadly my old brain wouldn't be able to absorb enough to sit the exam now.

Ray,
My fingers will be crossed and I will shout out tomorrow, although I have a slight doubt as I understand you will probably be on a smaller antenna than usual as you were last week.

Cheers,
Tony

the only way to get away from the noise on fm am and ssb go on google and use there find heights next to were you live and away from the noise, you will hear lots more and more will hear you, have a good antenna on your car and a base antenna T2LT is a good start, and a 7m sota pole

stephen Gunrunner wrote:

the only way to get away from the noise on fm am and ssb go on google and use there find heights next to were you live and away from the noise, you will hear lots more and more will hear you, have a good antenna on your car and a base antenna T2LT is a good start, and a 7m sota pole

There's a major problem there Stephen, I gave up my driving licence about 12 years ago!
I don't need to google the local high spots as I used to run a network on Mids moons ago and tried them all, ended up mainly at Devils Dyke.

Cheers,
Tony

Tonyvic wrote:

Ray,
My fingers will be crossed and I will shout out tomorrow, although I have a slight doubt as I understand you will probably be on a smaller antenna than usual as you were last week.

Cheers,
Tony

Weather permitting I will have the 1/2 wave or the Antron up. 
So you should be able to hear me Thursday night.

Ray

Woopeeeee, despite the conditions Ray heard me on my first 'Break, Break' and we had a chat, conditions for me at least went swiftly downhill after that so I had a break until about 10pm.
Had qso's with another three chaps although I did struggle at times with the variable conditions, but hey-ho
I MADE IT
So thanks all for your help, onwards and upwards.

Tony
CT 4013

Yay!!, well done Tony, and you've got there!!  There'll be many more now I'm sure chap!!

Cheers

Simon.