[Not] Living with 6m/50MHz interference!
A new Tesco Technika TV (September 2010)
16th September 2010 a.m.: For several months I've had very bad hash coming from a direction of 60 degrees. This usually started in the late afternoon and went on until around 10 p.m. It was clear that something was being turned on and off at those times.
I thought this was originating from the same source as the interference I was receiving from 90 degrees as described here - but it turns out it wasn't much to my surprise!
While tracking down my 90 degree noise I went into the back garden of my neighbour to try and
triangulate the source of the interference which came on around 3 p.m. that day. I was hearing a little buzzing from from the neighbour two doors away but nothing too strong. As I was walking back
through their side gate I could here a very loud buzzing in the 847 and by turning the hand-held aerial I could see that it was originating from my neighbour's house! Now, why this was interesting
was that the end of my main antennas are are 20 feet away from the supposed source of this interference.
That evening when it was dark I could see a light on in the bedroom at the corner of the house I thought the interference was coming from and I could also see the flicker of a TV set. Around, 21:00 the light went off but the TV stayed on - and so did the interference. Around, 21:30 the TV went off and the interference disappeared! BINGO!
17th September 2010 a.m.: The next morning I went round to my neighbour's house and we went up into the bedroom while I explained that I thought the interference I had was originating from the TV in the back bedroom. They then told me that it was a new Tesco only brand 22" Tecknica TV that they had bought from Tesco only six months ago!
While we were in the bedroom my wife sat by my IC-7800 with a telephone and we switched the TV onto standby with the switch at the back. My Wife immediately said that there was now an s1 noise. When we switched the TV fully on with the remote control the noise went up to s6! The TV was definitely the problem.
We agreed that he would be prepared to take the TV back to Tesco for a refund and we plan to do that this afternoon. Then we will get a new one from a more well known manufacturer like Toshiba or Samsung and I'll pray that this solves the problem!
My neighbour and I took the TV back to Tesco and they refused to give us cash back. Their policy was to repair and pointed to the receipt where it said faulty goods should NOT be returned to the shop but we should call an 0845 number. We called this number from the shop and got into a half hour argument with the 'engineer' in HQ (we assume). Anyway he refused to budge but did give away that the local shop did have some discretion on how they handle such cases.
My neighbour demanded to see a manager who promptly came down to talk us and my neighbour was adamant that with such a new TV (Six months old) he didn't want a repaired TV but his money back. Eventually, the deputy manager said he would replace the TV with another of the same model.
Now this is not what we wanted but as this would represent a new purchase we would be able to get our cash back within 28 days if it proved faulty. So off we went home with a new Technika TV.
17th September 2010 p.m.: Well we arrived home and connected up the replacement TV and dashed back to my shack to see if there was any improvement.
Well, I didn't have s6 hash anymore but I certainly had s2 hash. There was nothing to it but return it back to Tescos. Which is what we did. This time there was no fuss and they just gave my neighbour the cash.
My view was, as it was from the beginning, that a TV from a good brand such as Samsung, Toshiba or Hitachi would be 100% free from this problem. So we planned to go and visit COMET the next morning and buy a TV from one of those reputable manufacturers.
18th September 2010 a.m.: Off we all drove to COMET and selected a 22" model from Hitachi. We drove home and went up to the bedroom to unpack and assemble the new TV. It didn't take too long to get it switched on and working.
I crossed my fingers and dashed back home to my shack to have a listen.
To my relief and amazement there was not any sign of hash on 50MHz and the band was completely clear!
I returned next door to convey the good news. They were very happy and we all lived happily for ever and ever! Yes, it took a lot of time and effort but it was absolutely worth it. Will you live with such a noise?