TVI Low Pass Filter Recommendations?

[Magical Merlin]

Was looking at the Solarcon LP-99 filter. Does anyone have any experience with this filter? I am interested in any other suggestions on different makes. I have a RFI problem in my stereo when I key up on my base radio. Everything is properly grounded to (2) 8 ft ground rods, I don't think it is a grounding problem. Thanks in advance for your help. Merlin


Mobile:

Galaxy DX959/Astatic 636L

Galaxy 2HD

Wilson 1000 Trunk Lip w/SLA

Uniden BCT7

Base:

Texas Ranger TR 696F/RF Limited EC2018T

Solarcon IMAX 2000/40ft Tower

Uniden BCT7

Future... Who knows what's next?

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Magical Merlin

I use a Bencher YA-1 low pass filter with mixed results.

www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamacc/1231.html

When using just the radio the filter works fine. When I add a little bit of power I interfere with the stereo speakers. This could be due to the placement of the filter (between radio and amp). Someday I may insert it after the amp and see if that makes a difference. I would certainly try Doc`s idea before you shell out the money for a low pass filter.



Doc,

Where on the speaker wire would be the best place to put the caps? Close to the stereo or close to the speaker? Or does it make a difference.


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[Tumbleweed]

I bought a Henry 10K lowpass filter, built like a tank, cost as much. <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=""> It was $400. It did cure most of my problems with rf, but not so much the stereo in my office. I'm on the second floor so it was tougher. I bought the MFJ artificial ground and it did the trick for the rest of the rf problems. I've got my system grounded to the hilt and it would still get rf problems to my speakers in my office and I've got some good Cambridge speakers. From what I've been reading, even two or three ground rods are not really good rf grounds. I run three radials of wire across my wall under my desk, a copper pipe system close to the back of my amp. I run my LP filter six inches off my amp. My ground goes from my radio-tuner-amp-lp filter-MFJ artificial ground to copper pipe grid and three wire radials. Also from the pipe grid and lp it goes to the two ground rods in the ground outside. I had the 1.5kw lp from MFJ but it didn't seem to do much, so not all lp filters are created equal. This may seem like an overkill, but this is what it took for me to completely clean my station and have no interference on any of my house or neighbors. Even running nice equipment, I still needed to do this to completely kill the problem. Only time I can hear a slight buzz on my stereo is when I tune the amp wrong. When everything is tuned properly, no problems at all. I just wanted to pass this on, because I had a time getting mine clean, because my neighbors are close, and my house is an older home and the people that built it didn't know what they were doing, which contributed to the problems. Hope this helps a little.


Jerry
CDX350
TW350
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[Tumbleweed]

Merlin glad I could help. If you only have the one problem try the simple things first. I would try just the artificial ground first unless you're having more troubles than that. I tried the cap across the speaker leads and it didn't help my case, but I was having quite a few troubles to begin with.You should give that a try first. I used 8ga speaker wires from "Monster Cable" like that you'd get at Best Buy. A ham operator recommended that. It was so much easier to handle than solid wire. There's a post on the back of the MFJ unit. I ran three of those wires about 12' long about a foot apart along the wall. I've got a copper pipe setup that's 3/4 inch copper in an H pattern about a 18" tall. I've got the artificial ground to it as well. From that I've got the 9913 coax from that to the grounds outside. I didn't have to many troubles straight radio mainly when I ran some power. I had TV troubles, but mainly because of the cheap wiring I believe in my house. I bought the MFJ low pass about the size of one pictured, about 8" long by 3" wide. It helped some, same specs as the Henry, but not the quality. That Henry took 3 weeks to get, but it's the size of the X600 Xbox and the the way it's built inside is night and day. I'm not really up on the low pass filters, but this one made the difference. Again I was getting desperate for a fix so you may not need that. These guys in the know are probably snickering at what I did, but I was desperate. I would try that MFJ artificial ground first since it made quite a bit of difference. If you can get it cheap I would go for it. It has a meter to show you how much is going through it. When I kick the amp on, quite a bit shows. BTW.... be sure to tape the ends of the radial wires, I'm sure you could get bit by those. Talks about that in the instructions.

Hope this helps.


Jerry
CDX350
TW350
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[PEAKABOO]

Hey mian what amp are you using? If the amplifier does not have filtering in the amplifier I would put the filter after the amplifier

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PEAKABOO

Sorry for the late reply but I haven`t been to this section in a long time. Amp is magnum 4500. The only interference I`m experience is coming from the crappy machine shop stereo speakers. All other electrical appliances not effected. Been meaning to change the installation of the LP filter but I have zero neighbors so I`m the only one who can complain. Maybe after I fix the leak in the roof. But that only bothers me when it rains out.


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