Radio Interference to a TV set
by David Harvey VK2DMH on Monday, August 10th, 2009 | 5 Comments
I have a lot of radio interference from a nearby radio transmitter that breaks through to my TV set.
I can hear a garbled voice and sometimes can see wavy patterns on my TV screen as well.
This static happens when the radio operator transmits. I reckon it’s a ham. The interference happens at all hours of the day and night and I am really annoyed. What can I do about it?
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You need to try to put a high pass filter in line with your coax, if the ham is on shortwave frequencies. If you know the guy who’s causing the interference, talk to him, he will probably be willing to help you out with installing fiters.
Report it to the FCC
Get a new TV.
You may need to by a Noise Filter at your local Radio Shack or other department store that sells telephone and television equipment. If this does not resolve the problem, try a Signal Amplifier.
Most of the suggestions given already are good advice, especially from No Nonsese.
Reporting it to the FCC isn’t likely to get much action nowadays, sorry Postal. Thirty years ago when all licensed Hams kept written log books of EVERY transmission, even tests, these records could help the radio inspectors tell in a few minutes if a particular radio set is causing the problem.
And even though the fault usually is with the TV set itself, few manufacturers like to admit that and few owners believe it. But it’s true… they build them as cheaply as possible and they don’t include any built-in filtering to block interference from nearby transmitters. (They know the average TV viewer will never have a problem, so they don’t spend the money.)
Ignibble, you’re close but you don’t win the Cupie Doll. A Signal Amplifier will only amplify the interference as well, so that’s not the answer. It’s not a noise filter that’s needed, because its not a car’s ignition noise or alternator whine. It is RFI or Radio-Frequency-Interference.
What is needed is a low-pass-filter on the HF radio transmitter or CB… while the affected TV set requires a high-pass filter to block the radio transmissions while letting the TV signals get through.
Of course, we don’t know if the TV is a cable TV. And we don’t know for sure the offending radio is a licensed Amateur Radio operator or an unlicensed CBer. It might even be some other kind of radio transmitter… So the first thing to do is to speak to the neighbor who you think is the radio operator and ask them if they have a license, and if so what kind? And if they don’t, then what kind of radio are they using?
By the way, if it is a Radio Amateur who is breaking through on your TV set, as long as his station has been set up correctly, he is not obligated in any way to help you with YOUR problem (the cheaply-made TV set). In fact, by offering to help you, he may be inviting all kinds of trouble for himself. Some hams will help you put a high-pass filter on your TV, but that’s voluntary on their part. After all, it is always best to be friendly with your neighbors, isn’t it?