Where I live there is a possibility of light at the end of the tunnel. We are too far from the cabinet for VDSL to work. I was not impressed by the spectrum generated by ADSL2 but it does sound better… Anyway apparently as we don’t get super fast broadband we are due for an upgrade to FTTP. (Fibre to the premises) later this year so with a bit of luck if there is a telephone line left it will be doing what it was designed for with a maximum frequency of about 4 KHz. If it appears I will update Reflrctor - and the RSGB about any improvements… With luck this has the potential to solve the problem for good.
Recent report (1), originally written by Ofcom has now been requested to be reevaluated. Their interference report published in May 2017 had dismissed VDSL causing interference to the High Frequency radio spectrum. This was measured from three different stations throughout the UK.
I am proposing my own address will be a part of the new investigation. If you believe your station is in close proximity to a FTTC cabinet, or has known strong interference problems. I urge to you to contact John now through the RSGB to help accumulate more evidence.
Well that explains a lot. I have had a carrier which appears on (eg.) 14.060 every time I transmit there. I have to go up to 14.0604 to get away from it. Its been there for 2-3 years, maybe more.
I also get a comb pattern on the screen when I plug in the PC to the KX3 on all bands, and assumed that was perhaps an artefact from the radio rather than interference. No way can I sell up and move out, and am not a member of the RSGB. Nor do I have the equipment to measure and display or save evidence (as far as I know…)
But believe me its a problem, and a pain, and will not get better by the phone/internet companies doing anything, unless they’re forced to act.
According to this notice the RSGB is trying to gather a mass of information about VDSL interference in the UK.
There’s a 30-question Survey Monkey questionnaire, most of which involves noting noise levels at various points in the spectrum, many of them not actually in the amateur bands. The frequencies have been chosen because they straddle the breaks between the upstream and downstream parts of the VDSL signal, and they’re after responses both from folk who are having trouble with VDSL and from folk who think they’re not.
Done Rick. And very interesting relating to the frequencies which the Society are asking to be checked. I appear to have serious problems I’ll certainly be supporting the Society in their endeavours. (And just a wee note to non members - who would protect us against the ‘big’ boys if the Society wasn’t there?)
Please listen to todays RSGB GB2RS broadcast (or get it as a podcast - search for GB2RS on whatever podcatcher site you use - or simply go to and listen / read at gb2rs.podbean.com ) - the headline item in the report this week is a request from the RSGB for all suffering VDSL interference in the UK to submit their reports so that Ofcom can’t come back and say “but hardly anyone has complained” again.
Thankfully I don’t… but maybe the signals being are swamped by the general hash from all the plasma screens, switch mode power supplies and solar panels around here.
Hard to tell, here, where the noise comes from. I don’t seem to have too much of a VDSL background noise problem, but the re-training spike are something else, and frequently wipe out SOTA CW activations…
Work on the effects of VDSL continues, The Link is a presentation by John Rogers, EMC Committee chair, given at the RSGB October Convention. SOTA get a mention towards the end.
I’ll certainly be supporting the Society in their endeavours. (And just a wee note to non members - who would protect us against the ‘big’ boys if the Society wasn’t there?)
