[BC] Attack of the Demon Dimmers

[Jerry Mathis]

This is what has happened to the AM broadcast band. The FCC has totally 
abdicated its responsibility to police unintended and unwanted RF emissions. 
Light dimmers, fluorescent lights, a resurgence of neon lights, the 
ever-growing number of computers (all w/switching power supplies), etc. etc. 
etc. This is why I keep saying that the FCC needs to create a new band and 
allow AM stations to migrate there.

They had the opportunity to do this with digital radio, and they TOTALLY 
blew it, IMHO.



Jerry Mathis
Clear Channel Radio, Tupelo & Meridian MS




>From: "Tom Taggart" <tpt at eurekanet.com>
>Reply-To: Broadcast Radio Mailing List <broadcast at radiolists.net>
>To: Broadcast at radiolists.net
>Subject: [BC] Attack of the Demon Dimmers
>Date: Thu, 26 May 2005 16:44:39 -0400
>
>The old GE 600 watt dimmer died on the chandelier above the dining room  
>table.  Complaints drove me to the local hardware store for a  replacement. 
>   They had a Trimatron Model 700 made in some Chinese factory  for 
>Levitron.
>
>Has three wires--hot/load and ground.  Unlike the old GE dimmer.  Hooked  
>up the two black wires, dimmer worked, but horrific noise all across the  
>AM band.  Where to hook the ground--would that help?  Well, my house was  
>built in in 1955, but the other switch in the box had a neutral  
>connection, hooked up the ground to that. No change in AM noise.  The  
>noise is so bad that I can hear it on a local kilowatt daytimer on my car  
>radio just outside the house. Part 15?  WE don't need no part 15.
>
>I'm going to the electrical supply place next town overand see what I can  
>find, this thing is going in the trash.  Or maybe I can drill out the  
>rivet & find a new SCR for the GE.  Unfortunately, there must be hundreds  
>of thousands of these things already out there.
>
>--
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