Radiofrequency Interferences at Home!

Radiofrequency Interferences at Home!

I have been wondering why my VHF base station shows 4 to 5 segments of signal on almost all frequencies in the evening while there is none in the morning. Today I came upon the potential sources of RF interference at home and it is a huge surprising list! Here are some of them which may surprise some of you as well:

1. Switch mode power supply which is widely used in mobile phone chargers and uninterruptible power supply. Fortunately my VHF equipment uses a linear, transformer based power supply.
2. Computer and television monitors. You can’t avoid a computer monitor in the shack these days, especially if you plan to go for the digital modes.
3. Fluorescent tubes which used to be my favourite light source earlier, being phased out now.
4. Plenty of LED tubes and bulbs now common place in all homes.
5. Powersupply or the so called driver units of LED lighting, which are switch mode power supplies generating RF.
6. Add to this list, the kitchen refrigerator, which is now-a-days a ‘smart refrigerator’ with possible connection to its app by scanning a QR code.
7. Almost any other ‘smart device’ like modern air-conditioners, robotic vacuum cleaners, all have their own footprints in the radiofrequency spectrum.