Noise!!

I have thought since I moved to this QTH how lucky I was to have a fairly low noise environment for radio. Considering I am in an area close to shops and other houses RF noise levels are pretty low. That is until the last week or so when I noticed some very strong interference on the top end of the Medium Wave band

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and the CW end of the 80 metre band.

Here is a quick recording of the 80 metre noise on the FT1000MP and doublet antenna.

The problem is the same whether using my doublet or the Wellbrook loop receive antenna. Its not coming from this QTH as I have turned off the mains supply to the house and the noise is just as bad using my FT857 on a 12 volt battery supply. I really need to try and find the source of this interference!

First QSO on 80 metres!

Well not actually my first QSO on 80 of course but the first 80 metre contact on the Pro-whip vertical at the YL's home. The Pro-Whip works reasonably well on 20 metres and above for what it is- 6 metres of wire with an unun at the bottom and a single radial wire. On 40 metres it is less effective and of course I have to battle the high noise level here. 80 metres is less noisy but the whip is very inefficient on such a low frequency. I was surprised then to get a reply from special event station ON1418HRT on psk 31.