High Voltage Power Line interference with FTA signal?

[nearbeer]

All,

Thanks again for your time. I just went under contract for my next house; has a big yard so now I can put up the old DTN dish I scored a few weeks ago. However, there are high voltage power lines running overhead which leads me to ask this question:

Will the overhead high voltage lines have a noticeable and adverse affect on my FTA reception?

As always, thanks for the advice!

/R,

NearBeer

 

[primestar31]

Yes, it's possible IF they are having any leakage due to dirty insulators and such. You might or might NOT hear buzzing, or see any zapping/sparking.

But, if it's possible at all, you should not aim your dishes through the wiring or pole tops

 

[FaT Air]

Don't have a choice here. the arc almost follows the power, cable, telco wires here. Haven't noticed any degradation, but then my dishes have never looked at clear sky, so how would I know??
Have called in arcing insulators a few times, but didn't notice, or don't remember, if it affected FTA. Once I do know it really screwed with AM radio reception.

 

[eurosport]

The FTA satellite frequencies are way higher than the 60hz powerline frequency. You shouldn't notice anything.

 

[nearbeer]

Good to hear...this is encouraging news. I was going to be really disappointed if my new place was going to put a damper on receiving FTA signals.

 

[N5XZS]

The C and Ku band wavelengths are too short to be affected by power lines.

Powerline's RF noise pollutions mostly spread out 60 Hz to 88 MHz ranges

 

[Titanium]

Agree that shooting through utility lines should not be an issue.

From experience, defective transformers are very powerful broadband transmitters and easily output RF in the C-band frequency range. My mother's C-band system would go out every afternoon when the neighbor's milking parlor would stress the failing pole mounted transformer.

 

[FaT Air]

Just my example

Yeah, I know I labeled them with names and not positions. 3 lashes with a wet noodle!

 

[Pixl]

To survey a site for possible interference from power lines, just take a portable radio under the line. If there is high voltage leakage it will tear up most of the AM band. If it is real bad it will get into the FM band. A call to the power co. might get it repaired, although they treat these low priory. I called about interference to my home radios (sats were fine). The power co. came out 3 months later and fixed it.

 

[migold]

I have a similar situation. My C-Band dish points to 99W right through a 5KV power line - just like you show in your pics. I can not attribute any problem with interference to the power line. I believe any noise from the line would not be within the frequency range to be a problem.

 

[Cham]

Agree that shooting through utility lines should not be an issue.

From experience, defective transformers are very powerful broadband transmitters and easily output RF in the C-band frequency range. My mother's C-band system would go out every afternoon when the neighbor's milking parlor would stress the failing pole mounted transformer.

Another issue a chain saw would cure...

Power company might not like it though!!!

If such a problem with a bad transformer is causing interference, tell the power company! That bad transformer is eating away at their profits, and they would likely want to change it out asap. Same goes for bad insulators or other power line components like breakers, jumper clamps, etc. These all can create noise and losses for the power cpmpany.

 

[Titanium]

No problem getting it fixed after we figured out what was causing the interference. The power company had a construction crew out the next week and it was replaced.