-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On 16/12/2019 12.57, James Knott wrote:

On 2019-12-16 06:47 AM, Dave Howorth wrote:

...

I need to find the source of some radio interference. So I've ordered an RTL-SDR kit and now I need to find some suitable software. I don't know much about radio - I could just about explain the difference between AM and FM :(

So if anybody can suggest places to look for info or specific packages that are good for locating interference and also easy to use for a noob, I'd be very grateful.

Cheers, Dave

I don't have any experience with that sort of software, but generally speaking, you just use a receiver with a directional antenna to find a noise source. What is being interfered with? Any equipment used will have to be able to receive the noise frequency. Also, some interference comes in through the power cord, etc., so you have to understand possible sources. It's a huge spectrum, so you'll need some clues to narrow things down.

All my desktop computers play havoc on AM reception. Specially LW. LAN over the mains power cable is terrible. - -- Cheers / Saludos, Carlos E. R. (from 15.1 x86_64 at Telcontar) -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- iF0EARECAB0WIQQZEb51mJKK1KpcU/W1MxgcbY1H1QUCXfd6uAAKCRC1MxgcbY1H 1UPyAJ45bT3wW/97eFmAJlsgMhX/F+WmLACeJFNV/Vcqu3tWLjVX53E0U99K+JE= =STkf -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On 16/12/2019 15.37, Bill Walsh wrote:

On 12/16/19 6:38 AM, Carlos E. R. wrote:

...

On 16/12/2019 12.57, James Knott wrote:

...

On 2019-12-16 06:47 AM, Dave Howorth wrote:

...

I need to find the source of some radio interference. So I've ordered an RTL-SDR kit and now I need to find some suitable software. I don't know much about radio - I could just about explain the difference between AM and FM :(

So if anybody can suggest places to look for info or specific packages that are good for locating interference and also easy to use for a noob, I'd be very grateful.

Cheers, Dave

I don't have any experience with that sort of software, but generally speaking, you just use a receiver with a directional antenna to find a noise source. What is being interfered with? Any equipment used will have to be able to receive the noise frequency. Also, some interference comes in through the power cord, etc., so you have to understand possible sources. It's a huge spectrum, so you'll need some clues to narrow things down. All my desktop computers play havoc on AM reception. Specially LW.

LAN over the mains power cable is terrible.

Ever stop to think that your power lines are acting like a longwave antenna, transmitting and receiving. Need some filters. Neighbors probably notice it also.

I assume the PSU has an EMI filter. But my receiver is specially sensitive, and it is close to the main computer. I must remember to try when it is off.

There was an attempt some years ago to sell internet service over the power lines. A few test areas were tried. Didn't work well. Way to much interference.

I know... but there is Ethernet over the mains inside the house. I don't remember the proper name... Powerline networking? There is another name. A stupid idea, should be forbidden. Ask any HAM. - -- Cheers / Saludos, Carlos E. R. (from 15.1 x86_64 at Telcontar) -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- iF0EARECAB0WIQQZEb51mJKK1KpcU/W1MxgcbY1H1QUCXfeaEwAKCRC1MxgcbY1H 1Y/CAJ90RbfZAN6ohSU0EuQ7qDcoVccluwCcDRDqen6yXClmgl/ipIhiHT1Ulw8= =Hz3p -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org

* Bill Walsh [12-16-19 10:54]:

On 12/16/19 8:52 AM, Carlos E. R. wrote:

...

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1

On 16/12/2019 15.37, Bill Walsh wrote:

...

On 12/16/19 6:38 AM, Carlos E. R. wrote:

...

On 16/12/2019 12.57, James Knott wrote:

...

On 2019-12-16 06:47 AM, Dave Howorth wrote:

...

I need to find the source of some radio interference. So I've ordered an RTL-SDR kit and now I need to find some suitable software. I don't know much about radio - I could just about explain the difference between AM and FM :(

So if anybody can suggest places to look for info or specific packages that are good for locating interference and also easy to use for a noob, I'd be very grateful.

Cheers, Dave

I don't have any experience with that sort of software, but generally speaking, you just use a receiver with a directional antenna to find a noise source. What is being interfered with? Any equipment used will have to be able to receive the noise frequency. Also, some interference comes in through the power cord, etc., so you have to understand possible sources. It's a huge spectrum, so you'll need some clues to narrow things down. All my desktop computers play havoc on AM reception. Specially LW.

LAN over the mains power cable is terrible. Ever stop to think that your power lines are acting like a longwave antenna, transmitting and receiving. Need some filters. Neighbors probably notice it also. I assume the PSU has an EMI filter. But my receiver is specially sensitive, and it is close to the main computer. I must remember to try when it is off.

Should never assume anything.

Also, sending data over the powerlines and they transmit..........

Unless your power lines are in metal conduit.

...

...

There was an attempt some years ago to sell internet service over the power lines. A few test areas were tried. Didn't work well. Way to much interference. I know... but there is Ethernet over the mains inside the house. I don't remember the proper name... Powerline networking? There is another name.

A stupid idea, should be forbidden. Ask any HAM.

I don't think there was any "forbidden" but it didn't work. To much interference going both ways.

must have been refined somehow as I have had better luck with powerline wifi extenders having two cat5/6 ports than with regular (radio) wifi extenders. -- (paka)Patrick Shanahan Plainfield, Indiana, USA @ptilopteri http://en.opensuse.org openSUSE Community Member facebook/ptilopteri Photos: http://wahoo.no-ip.org/piwigo paka @ IRCnet freenode -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org

* James Knott [12-16-19 12:14]:

On 2019-12-16 11:37 AM, Patrick Shanahan wrote:

...

must have been refined somehow as I have had better luck with powerline wifi extenders having two cat5/6 ports than with regular (radio) wifi extenders.

Have you checked for the interference those devices generate? 

no, nor have I noticed any off-hand. I seldom play an am/fm radio at home any more. Cannot really say that I still have one. I do in my automobiles but they are not affected in the garage.

Those devices operate at over 100 MHz, which power lines are not designed to carry.  While the signal may travel over the cable, power cables do not have the tight twists that CAT 5 or 6 has, to prevent radiation.  The signalling rate for 100 Mb and Gb Ethernet is 125 M symbols/second.

and do not appear to cause me any concern. I got the powerline units from amazon and would have immediately returned them if I noticed problems. -- (paka)Patrick Shanahan Plainfield, Indiana, USA @ptilopteri http://en.opensuse.org openSUSE Community Member facebook/ptilopteri Photos: http://wahoo.no-ip.org/piwigo paka @ IRCnet freenode -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org

* James Knott [12-16-19 13:48]:

On 2019-12-16 12:36 PM, Patrick Shanahan wrote:

...

and do not appear to cause me any concern. I got the powerline units from amazon and would have immediately returned them if I noticed problems.

What about your neighbours?

you are assuming that I have knowledgable neighbors and I probably do not, even though they are 20-40 years younger. that aside, they have not wondered or complained. back when I was running 200w cb, I did play on an electric piano and severl radios. seems radio is no more a normally utilized home appliance. -- (paka)Patrick Shanahan Plainfield, Indiana, USA @ptilopteri http://en.opensuse.org openSUSE Community Member facebook/ptilopteri Photos: http://wahoo.no-ip.org/piwigo paka @ IRCnet freenode -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org

* Carlos E. R. [12-16-19 17:00]:

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1

On 16/12/2019 18.36, Patrick Shanahan wrote:

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* James Knott [12-16-19 12:14]:

...

On 2019-12-16 11:37 AM, Patrick Shanahan wrote:

...

must have been refined somehow as I have had better luck with powerline wifi extenders having two cat5/6 ports than with regular (radio) wifi extenders.

Have you checked for the interference those devices generate?

no, nor have I noticed any off-hand. I seldom play an am/fm radio at home any more. Cannot really say that I still have one. I do in my automobiles but they are not affected in the garage.

...

Those devices operate at over 100 MHz, which power lines are not designed to carry. While the signal may travel over the cable, power cables do not have the tight twists that CAT 5 or 6 has, to prevent radiation. The signalling rate for 100 Mb and Gb Ethernet is 125 M symbols/second.

and do not appear to cause me any concern. I got the powerline units from amazon and would have immediately returned them if I noticed problems.

Of course you don't. The problems are caused by you to to others...

- -- Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R. (from 15.1 x86_64 at Telcontar) -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----

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-- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org

if a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, did it make a sound? -- (paka)Patrick Shanahan Plainfield, Indiana, USA @ptilopteri http://en.opensuse.org openSUSE Community Member facebook/ptilopteri Photos: http://wahoo.no-ip.org/piwigo paka @ IRCnet freenode -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org

On 12/16/19 9:13 AM, James Knott wrote:

On 2019-12-16 11:37 AM, Patrick Shanahan wrote:

...

must have been refined somehow as I have had better luck with powerline wifi extenders having two cat5/6 ports than with regular (radio) wifi extenders.

Have you checked for the interference those devices generate? Those devices operate at over 100 MHz, which power lines are not designed to carry.  While the signal may travel over the cable, power cables do not have the tight twists that CAT 5 or 6 has, to prevent radiation.  The signalling rate for 100 Mb and Gb Ethernet is 125 M symbols/second.

I've been using a pair of Zyxel power-line adapters for almost six years without any issues.  The two ends are on the same circuit breaker with 14-AWG Romex copper wiring.  The AC circuit feeds multiple drops in multiple rooms and so would have plenty of antenna possibilities. How would anyone know that there's a problem?  No more analog television, and the only AM radio I have is in the car.  What would Ethernet power-line interference look like? I do recall problems in the past.  In the analog television days we'd have a certain channel messed up by a powerful Mexican TV station in Tijuana. We also had a Ham a few doors down who would step on TV channels and would even bleed into the POTS twisted-pair wiring.  We couldn't use the telephone when he was transmitting!  The problem went away after I had some "words" with him. Regards, Lew -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org

On Mon, 16 Dec 2019 16:01:53 -0500 James Knott wrote:

Same with digital TV.

Well, you do start to get some blocking before the signal disappears totally. But every digital TV I've seen has the ability to display the S/N ratio and other 'quality' figures for this reason. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org

On Mon, 16 Dec 2019 15:52:29 +0100 "Carlos E. R." wrote:

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1

On 16/12/2019 15.37, Bill Walsh wrote:

...

On 12/16/19 6:38 AM, Carlos E. R. wrote:

...

...

On 16/12/2019 12.57, James Knott wrote:

...

On 2019-12-16 06:47 AM, Dave Howorth wrote:

...

I need to find the source of some radio interference. So I've ordered an RTL-SDR kit and now I need to find some suitable software. I don't know much about radio - I could just about explain the difference between AM and FM :(

So if anybody can suggest places to look for info or specific packages that are good for locating interference and also easy to use for a noob, I'd be very grateful.

Cheers, Dave

I don't have any experience with that sort of software, but generally speaking, you just use a receiver with a directional antenna to find a noise source. What is being interfered with? Any equipment used will have to be able to receive the noise frequency. Also, some interference comes in through the power cord, etc., so you have to understand possible sources. It's a huge spectrum, so you'll need some clues to narrow things down. All my desktop computers play havoc on AM reception. Specially LW.

LAN over the mains power cable is terrible.

Ever stop to think that your power lines are acting like a longwave antenna, transmitting and receiving. Need some filters. Neighbors probably notice it also.

I assume the PSU has an EMI filter. But my receiver is specially sensitive, and it is close to the main computer. I must remember to try when it is off.

...

There was an attempt some years ago to sell internet service over the power lines. A few test areas were tried. Didn't work well. Way to much interference.

I know... but there is Ethernet over the mains inside the house. I don't remember the proper name... Powerline networking? There is another name.

A stupid idea, should be forbidden. Ask any HAM.

Nobody can help answer my question then? -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org

* James Knott [12-16-19 10:59]:

On 2019-12-16 10:53 AM, Dave Howorth wrote:

...

...

A stupid idea, should be forbidden. Ask any HAM. Nobody can help answer my question then?

What question? ;-)

Is there a question? -- (paka)Patrick Shanahan Plainfield, Indiana, USA @ptilopteri http://en.opensuse.org openSUSE Community Member facebook/ptilopteri Photos: http://wahoo.no-ip.org/piwigo paka @ IRCnet freenode -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org

On Mon, 16 Dec 2019 16:56:17 +0100 Per Jessen wrote:

Dave Howorth wrote:

...

Nobody can help answer my question then?

I'm not sure I've even understood it nor what it is you are trying to do :-(

Ah sorry. I don't know how else to phrase my request. (James was right - there's no question mark :) Anyway, I asked it elsewhere and got some answers of which 'gqrx' seems most usable. It seems like openSUSE repositories have some of the libraries available, like gnuradio, but not the applications AFAICT. Cheers, Dave -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org