Improving AM radio reception?

[ponytug]

any quick and easy way to filter the AC voltage?

There are some things you can to do filter AC noise, but it depends a little on what you are chasing.
You can get EMI filters like this one, or this one, but the thing about RF noise is that much of it can be/is transmitted through the air.

The fact that the OP's 2.4GHz WiFi doesn't work and his 5GHz does is further evidence of a local source of RF noise. 5GHz will always be more resistant to noise, so one might want to think about a WiFi 5GHz repeater or mesh router for the shop, and not go chasing RF noise, which can get crazy. Trust me, been there, done that.

But if you do want to chase RF noise, and since there seems to be good evidence to think that the RF noise is in the shop, I think that the idea of turning all the breakers off and turning them on one by one is a great way to narrow the problem.

As it is a shop, I would point out that VFD are huge, and I mean HUGE, sources of RF noise. Fluorescent ballasts are notorious for noise as are small motors, e.g. fans or old refrigerators. Look for dimmer switches (speed controllers) and chargers as well. Also, I might want to double check that the shop ground is actually attached (it happens), and is making good contact.

Finally, hospital "isolated" outlets (orange faced) have grounds that are isolated, i.e. run separately back to the ground bus, not to be confused with redundant grounds, which have multiple paths to ground (for patient safety). NEC Code has shifted on this toward redundant grounds, in part because the standards on patient equipment are so much more stringent than they used to be in terms of shielding and isolation. Grounding gets really complicated really quickly in my experience.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ultrarunner]

Thanks Peter... 1995 hospital addition filled with Orange Isolated Ground Green Dot Hospital Spec... have not seen similar in the area...

 

[dragoneggs]

There are some things you can to do filter AC noise, but it depends a little on what you are chasing.
You can get EMI filters like this one, or this one, but the thing about RF noise is that much of it can be/is transmitted through the air.

The fact that the OP's 2.4GHz WiFi doesn't work and his 5GHz does is further evidence of a local source of RF noise. 5GHz will always be more resistant to noise, so one might want to think about a WiFi 5GHz repeater or mesh router for the shop, and not go chasing RF noise, which can get crazy. Trust me, been there, done that.

But if you do want to chase RF noise, and since there seems to be good evidence to think that the RF noise is in the shop, I think that the idea of turning all the breakers off and turning them on one by one is a great way to narrow the problem.

As it is a shop, I would point out that VFD are huge, and I mean HUGE, sources of RF noise. Fluorescent ballasts are notorious for noise as are small motors, e.g. fans or old refrigerators. Look for dimmer switches (speed controllers) and chargers as well. Also, I might want to double check that the shop ground is actually attached (it happens), and is making good contact.

Finally, hospital "isolated" outlets (orange faced) have grounds that are isolated, i.e. run separately back to the ground bus, not to be confused with redundant grounds, which have multiple paths to ground (for patient safety). NEC Code has shifted on this toward redundant grounds, in part because the standards on patient equipment are so much more stringent than they used to be in terms of shielding and isolation. Grounding gets really complicated really quickly in my experience.

All the best,

Peter

Just to clarify... I wasn't able to sync my extender at 2.4 but it did sync up at 5 during the initial setup. This was done very close to the router. Then I moved the extender first to the shop... that didn't work so I then put in the house but as close to the shop as possible.

I should probably try to reset the extender and start from scratch to try to get both the 2.4 extender network up as well as the 5.0 extender network.

 

[ponytug]

Just to clarify... I wasn't able to sync my extender at 2.4 but it did sync up at 5 during the initial setup. This was done very close to the router. Then I moved the extender first to the shop... that didn't work so I then put in the house but as close to the shop as possible.

I should probably try to reset the extender and start from scratch to try to get both the 2.4 extender network up as well as the 5.0 extender network.

I'm sorry that I didn't understand that. That's a bit weird. I wonder whether you have WiFi interference in the main house? Microwave? Dimmers? Cordless phones? FWIW: Different routers and extenders have wildly different ranges, but if you don't need the range, no point in spending the big bucks.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ponytug]

Thanks Peter... 1995 hospital addition filled with Orange Isolated Ground Green Dot Hospital Spec... have not seen similar in the area...

FWIW: Some of the newer outlets are white with a tiny orange triangle... Perhaps so as not to be confused with red standby power outlets?

 

[dragoneggs]

I'm sorry that I didn't understand that. That's a bit weird. I wonder whether you have WiFi interference in the main house? Microwave? Dimmers? Cordless phones? FWIW: Different routers and extenders have wildly different ranges, but if you don't need the range, no point in spending the big bucks.

All the best,

Peter

Thanks Peter... yeah I got all kinds of sources for possible EM interference! In my home office where the router resides and also in my shop. Oh and AV gear in between. :confused2:

 

[DaveMueller]

2. Also tried running the CC3 on 4 D cells instead of 110v and connected the loop antenna and BINGO... with a little adjustment of radio and antenna orientations, I am getting a fairly clean reception. Not crazy about running on batteries but that's what I will have to live with if I am not using internet radio.

Sorry to jump in late, but you could probably use an old 5V phone charger. Cut the end off and put on alligator clips, then connect it to the + and - battery terminals. Be careful with polarity. 5V is close enough to 4 partially depleted D cells. Look for a brand name charger, they're usually more concerned with EMI/RFI regulatory requirements. One of the reason the Apple chargers are still $30...

Dave
(another ham AA3EE)

 

[Fuddy1952]

Sorry to jump in late, but you could probably use an old 5V phone charger. Cut the end off and put on alligator clips, then connect it to the + and - battery terminals. Be careful with polarity. 5V is close enough to 4 partially depleted D cells. Look for a brand name charger, they're usually more concerned with EMI/RFI regulatory requirements. One of the reason the Apple chargers are still $30...

Dave
(another ham AA3EE)

Good idea and kill 2 birds with one stone! The 5 volt supply, a neg. & a pos. lead. Add a diode in series with +pos. lead, anode in from supply, band end (cathode) out to radio. Something like NTE125 or similar, silicon, it will ensure polarity is correct and drop about 0.7v, (so about 4.3v).