Mixed blessing

[Copper.net]

Hi, all concerned:

Asplundh recently plundered all if not most of the tree branches capable of
brushing the power-line primaries in the neighborhood surrounding my
suburban location. You ought to hear the crews' war stories re the
tree-hugger grieving and outright physical interference. But, that's a
subject for a flamefest elsewhere.

Now, it's comparatively quiet here. H-f and 160M are useable again during
sap-up as well as sap-down. Deo gratias. I also thanked the lads for
giving me back the use of h-f. :o)))

I hear the neighbor's electric fence (around his 5-horse-pen) very well on
h-f now; it's about 900 ft away :o( Haven't introduced myself to him yet,
and want to do my homework first. I have met the horses: they get out and
wander around once in a while. That's okay by me.

The noise-blanker is a good interim fix, and I can reduce but not null the
noise by antenna orientation, but what can I do to help him fix the *TICK*
*TICK* *TICK* I can see on my 'scope and Millivac broadband v-m if I
connect either to an antenna?

TIA & 73,

Dave, N3HE

[David Robbins]

First, help him round up the horses the next time they get out.

Then a couple things to try are to check for grass or brush that is rubbing
it, much like the utility company did for the power lines(tell him that they
drain the charge and reduce the effectiveness of the fence). also checking
and replacing or cleaning dirty insulators may help some. also make sure it
is connected to a ground rod close to the charger and not through the
wiring.

the best you could hope for would be for him to turn it off when the horses
are in their stalls, tell him its a power saving for him.

"Copper.net" <dav...@copper.net> wrote in message
news:%eEg9.508$9M2.1...@newsfeed.slurp.net...

[Ed Juge/NM]

I had one of those fences next door to me. My neighbor installed it to keep
deer, bear and such out of the flowers in his back yard. It was 20db over
S9, on one second, off one second, 24/7.

I got the manufacturer's info from the controller and called them. I
figured they would blow me off. Instead, the guy was quite helpful and gave
me a laundry list of things to check and/or fix. It COMPLETELY killed the
problem.

First off, they told me when a fence is producing the kind of RFI I had
found (copyable at 1/2-1 mile) the 4000 volts that was supposed to be on the
fence was probably was down to around 600 volts and quite ineffective.
NOTE: This is an especially good argument to present to the fence owner. I
did so and offered to try to fix it for my neighbor. He was only too happy
to grant permission.

Their suggestions were...

Make sure the ground is short and heavy gauge wire.

The wire from the controller to the fence MUST be made for this service. It
must have at least 6000 volt insulation, not 300 or 400 volts like AC zip
cord.

ALL connections on the fence must be made with electric fence wire clamps.
Especially look for splices. It is much better if all wire is the same
material... no copper twisted to aluminum, etc.

Remove any grass or bushes growing into the bottom wires.

Be sure you don't have any of the wires touching trees... that's common
especially with insulators made to nail into tree trunks.

You can probably trace the noise source by using a portable AM radio. If
you're lucky enough to catch it when the noise has stopped, walk the fence
with that radio and lightly tap all wires every few feet. You'll probably
find a place where you tap it and the noise returns. Look for bad splices
or shorts in that area.

Good luck... hope this is some help.

73... Ed, W5EJ

"Copper.net" <dav...@copper.net> wrote in message
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