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I have a problem with strong and constant received noise, from S7 to S9+20.

I've shut off the power, both in my house and two neighbors' houses. I took my portable rig with a Hustler antenna and searched the neighborhood. The noise seems to be at my house.

I've turned off the solar and main power day and night. It never changes strength, rain or shine, night or day. Not a street light either.

I'm using an MFJ 1798 vertical. I've had it for several years now. When I first installed it, the SWR was low. Now, something has changed. Now it's out of tune slightly, and I hear steady hash-like QRN. I called MFJ about the changing of the tuning, and they said the balun came partially unwound. It has not. Could my antenna system be the problem?

I have exhausted all of my ideas to solve this problem. Has anyone else come across a similar problem that you were able to solve from which you could share some insight? Can you recommend anything else that I should test or try in order to reduce or eliminate the QRN?

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    $\begingroup$ This is not a question - it is a statement of fact followed by "any ideas?" Please reword this in the form of a question $\endgroup$
    – Scott Earle ♦
    Commented Aug 21, 2018 at 4:07
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    $\begingroup$ "they said the balun came partially unwound..not" What does this mean? $\endgroup$
    – mike65535
    Commented Aug 21, 2018 at 13:09
  • $\begingroup$ Despite the edit, I still see a group of facts followed by "any ideas". $\endgroup$
    – Scott Earle ♦
    Commented Aug 22, 2018 at 1:55
  • $\begingroup$ Edited and reopened per the discussion on meta. $\endgroup$
    – Mike Waters
    Commented Sep 8, 2018 at 19:33
  • $\begingroup$ Do you have counterpoise radials connected near the antenna's feedpoint? $\endgroup$
    – Mike Waters
    Commented Sep 8, 2018 at 19:36

2 Answers 2

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You killed the main AC circuit breaker to your house, but still detect RF noise centered at your house? Battery operated devices (laptop?, electric car?), systems with battery backup, and batteries with DC-DC converters can still produce, perhaps radiate, RF noise. The solar panels might have DC-DC converters that can't be switched off. Try throwing a pool cover over them.

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Welcome to hamSE, Robert. Since you say that it's only slightly out of tune, I seriously doubt that this has anything at all to do with your antenna.

You say that you shut off the power to your house, yet the noise is at your house. I suspect you have something on or near your electric pole arcing. Power lines are notorious for doing that and making our hobby less than what we should expect.

Have you checked the coax? A loose shield might be the cause. And check the SWR right at the antenna, as what you measure at the station end might very well be incorrect depending upon the electrical length of the coax.

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