[aprssig] Solar Ham Radio Interference

[Robert Bruninga]

Not APRS related, but you have heard me talk of my 16 kW home solar.

Well, FINALLY, the jury is in.  For the first time in 6 years since I
started my solar system,I finally have all my full-sized dipoles up in the
air again.

And finally I tuned the band on a sunny day, and then went and fllipped the
Solar AC/Disconnect switch and tuned the bands again.

I found that I have inverter noise about 12 dB above the noise floor every
38 kHz on 80 meters,. But couldnt really find anythhing on 20 meters.  I
did not do a thorough search, but enough to finally say, "yes, there is
some noise..."

Right now, my AC disconnect switch (for all 4 inverters) is about 3 feet
from the kitchen door.  Easy enough to pull if I wanted HF silence.  But I
am not an HF operator...

But if I was a real HF operator, I'd simply add a 60 amp AC disconnect
relay in series with the existing disconnect and run a wire from the relay
to the shack where I could dump the arrays with the flip of a shack
switch.  Or I could spend some time adding chokes to the inverters.  But
with my rare operating style, I'd take the easy way out with the relay.

It took me 6 years to get around to this test, so dont hold your breath
waiting for me to add some clamp-on filters to the inverter wires.

I post this because my array is all HV series string arrays.  It is well
published that the other methods that use Microinverters and "optimizers"
on every single panel all over the roof are terrible RFI generators for the
Ham.  So now we know how much quieter the string array is, but it does
still have these residuals on 80m.

For those into solar, come join us on SolarDIY at yahoogroups.com

Bob, WB4APR
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