LiveATC Discussion Forums

Air Traffic Monitoring => Feed Setup Pictures => Topic started by: Tom56 on October 14, 2005, 07:51:30 PM

Title: Ground fault fix for CZYZ
Post by: Tom56 on October 14, 2005, 07:51:30 PM
Here's a quick fix for that annoying hum from a ground fault.
Title: Ground fault fix for CZYZ
Post by: bcrosby on October 14, 2005, 10:13:48 PM
hah wicked!

what kind of antenna are you using?

I have the exact same scanner as you, and i'm tyring to get something set up.. but not sure what antenna to get (I live just north of Toronto)
Title: Ground fault fix for CZYZ
Post by: Tom56 on October 14, 2005, 11:27:11 PM
I have a cheapy discone antenna. I'll get a picture of it tomorrow and post it as well.
Title: Ground fault fix for CZYZ
Post by: dave on October 14, 2005, 11:33:31 PM
Thanks for posting these pics...this is a topic that comes up often.

Dave
Title: Ground fault fix for CZYZ
Post by: Tom56 on October 15, 2005, 09:28:34 AM
Here's my antenna/weather station setup. Quit laughing at the plastic ties.  :lol:

No problem Dave. I should have thought of it sooner. :wink:
Title: GROUND FIX
Post by: pacl670 on March 13, 2006, 09:33:32 PM
Hi
Where is the clips going? Computer  to  scanner?

pacl670
Title: Ground fault fix for CZYZ
Post by: Biff on March 14, 2006, 09:48:46 AM
If you're cheap (like me) you can do this without the alligator clips.

Just take any wire - I used a phone cord - strip the ends and attach one end to the computer case (back a screw off, wrap the bare wire around the screw and re-tighten it) and the other end to the outside of the BNC connector of the antenna.  For that I just unscrewed the antenna, wrapped the bare wire around the outside of the 'post', and reattached the antenna.  Just be careful to make sure your wire is only in contact with the outside of the antenna and not the center bit.
Title: Ground fault fix for CZYZ
Post by: Lezam on March 14, 2006, 10:17:18 AM
This will make it quieter? My scanner sounds awesome when it isnt plugged into the computer, but when I listen to it via stream it sounds very rough, and it sounds worse. Any ideas if this is what could cause it?
Title: Ground fault fix for CZYZ
Post by: dave on March 14, 2006, 10:19:49 AM
This just cures the ground loop problem (hum).  You electrically connect the scanner ground to the computer ground (virtually any metal on the case).
They need to have a common ground.

Dave
Title: Ground fault fix for CZYZ
Post by: Tom56 on March 14, 2006, 03:45:52 PM
Quote from: Lezam
This will make it quieter? My scanner sounds awesome when it isnt plugged into the computer, but when I listen to it via stream it sounds very rough, and it sounds worse. Any ideas if this is what could cause it?


Hi Lezam, Make sure you turn the volume down a bit when connecting to the computer. Otherwise you may overdrive the audio causing distortion.
Title: Ground fault fix for CZYZ
Post by: KSYR-pjr on March 15, 2006, 05:19:50 PM
Quote from: dave
This just cures the ground loop problem (hum).  You electrically connect the scanner ground to the computer ground (virtually any metal on the case).
They need to have a common ground.


Thanks for posting this information and the pictures.  KSYR also has a hum in the background and I will look into applying this solution when I return home this w'end.
Title: Re: Ground fault fix for CZYZ
Post by: bcrosby on May 17, 2006, 10:56:59 PM
Here's a quick fix for that annoying hum from a ground fault.

Hey.

I'm noticing a today (22:56 2006/05/17) .. don't know if its always been there or not. Is this fix still in place?
Title: Re: Ground fault fix for CZYZ
Post by: Tom56 on May 18, 2006, 09:08:09 PM
Hmmm, The cables are still clipped in place. Now I have to find this dang hum... :?
I think the hum was from my mic headset, seems to be gone now.
Title: Re: Ground fault fix for CZYZ
Post by: Tom56 on November 02, 2006, 10:01:43 PM
Bumped for any new feeders setting up.  :-D