Message-ID: <49D5A8EC.5040908@netspace.net.au>
Date: Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:13:00 +1100
From: Richard Rogers <vk7ro@netspace.net.au>
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To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
Subject: LF: Compact fluorescent lamps
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G'day,

I have been modifying my LF receiving setup to suit the 136KHz band 
which will soon be available here and found that a compact fluorescent 
lamp in my kitchen was noisy on 136KHz.   Other compact fluorescents in 
the house are OK, so perhaps it depends on the house power wiring as well.

So I bought and tested eight 20W warm white fluorescent lamps of several 
brands, all made in China, using a short wire near the glowing tube as a 
aerial.   The receiver is an IC-703 and a BB4W program sweeps the 
receiver over the band and draws the spectrum.

The spectrum of the most satisfactory can be seen at 
http://www.qsl.net/vk7ro/estar.jpg.

I'll now buy another lamp of the same type and test it as well, but at 
least my kitchen should be OK.   Two identical GE lamps had slightly 
different spectra and one would have been OK  for 136KHz, but alas, it 
would not fit in the luminaire.

It's an expensive way to change a light globe.

-- 
73, Ric, VK7RO