ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Electrical noise and AM radio

Using the battery powered radio will also tell you if the interference is coming through the AC or over the airwaves.

I listen to shortwave at home and the interference is something else. Somewhere in my neighborhood is a source of static that is being carried over the AC lines.

It is probably from a bad transformer or insulator, or maybe a neighbor has a bad ballast. I can walk along the street with a portable radio and hear the static as long as I follow the overhead powerlines.