Home Theater RFI Kit

RFI Common Mode Noise Filter Kits for Generic Antenna Switches - Isolate Non-Selected Coax Braid Noise!

Suppress Unwanted Noise & RFI
SKU RFI-AS-GEN-2
$129.95
Filter Max Power (PEP)
Antenna Ports
1
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RFI Common Mode Noise Filter Kits for Generic Antenna Switches - Isolate Non-Selected Coax Braid Noise!
Product Details

Coax antenna switches generally only switch the center conductor of the coax and all the coax braids remain connected in parallel summing the common mode noise off ALL coax lines onto the coax selected - this means you may be picking up common mode noise from coax lines that are not even connected to the coax antenna selected. The only practical solution is to isolate the coax braids from each other BEFORE they connect to the antenna switch as shown in the picture for a simple 2 position antenna switch.

This product listing is for use with your antenna switches which have 2 - 8 antennas. Each switched line needs a common mode noise filter prior to being connected to the switch. In some cases you can use a double male barrel connector to attach the filter to the switch or you may need a short jumper cable. (ANTENNA SWITCH SHOWN IN PICTURE NOT INCLUDED - SHOWN FOR ILLUSTRATION OF USE ONLY)

We offer a low power filter (CMNF-500-50 up to 500 watts PEP and up to 46 dB of common mode noise suppression per line) or a high power (Maxi-Choker, MC-1-3000 up to 3KW PEP and up to 60 dB of common mode noise suppression per line) and 2-8 ports of antenna switch. If you use a dummy load for one of the switched ports you do not need a filter for that port. Each filter has a range of 1.8 to 61 MHz (see individual listing on this website for specifics).


TECH NOTE: We also stock RFI kits to protect effected devices such as garage door openers, computers (laptops, desktops), dsl/cable routers, ethernet hubs and many more devices. If you run a high powered RF amplifier in your ham station also consider a linear amp RFI kit which will cut down RFI transmitted by your station. Remember there is always a “transmitter” and a “receiver” of RFI and the quest is to find and choke the “path” the RFI has selected – you need to add ferrites to both the transmitting side and the receiving side to eliminate RFI problems. The RFI-HTS kit only helps suppress RFI on the receiving side.

Typical RFI Problem/Solution:

Hello,
I am Larry, a ham operator and I am having interference issues with
my Direct TV system.
My station is a FT450D through an Ameritron ALS-600. From the amp
through a coax switch  to choose between an OCF dipole or an Hustler
5BTV vertical. Any power over 100 watts and my DTV goes off the air
and must completly reboot/format. Coax is RG-8. The DTV dish is
pointed away from the dipole and separated by about 25'. DTV was
totally useless! They suggested I not talk on the radio while she is
watching TV!  Please help me with a reasonable, cost effective
soultion. (The wife gets really pissed when I shutdown the tv!)

Thank you,

Larry 

 

Hi Larry,

Your RFI problem is quite common and is usually a sign of either a radiating coax feed line or reception of your radiated signal (source) by the Direct TV (the victim) through either the AC power lines acting as “antennas” for your ham signal or the coax braid of the satellite antenna acting as an antenna for your signal.

The solutions are straight forward:

1. To make sure your feed line is not radiating you need a feed line choke at each antenna feed point (also makes your antenna work better since it is not using the coax as part of the antenna).  You can use our simple Kit 110 with 5 snap on chokes on each antenna for this purpose.  Part # Kit 110 at $27.50 each – one for each antenna.  These chokes will keep your feed line from radiating and coupling into your ac power lines.  INFO HERE

2. The radiation from your antennas themselves may also be getting into the ac power lines and coax braid of the Direct TV antenna so you need to protect the victim receiver.  Depending upon the sophistication of your direct TV setup (e.g. home theater, dvd, tape player, sub woofer speakers, etc), the path of the RFI may be coming thru the AC power lines of any connected device to the video including the video monitor itself!  To help solve this problem we have a home theater RFI kit for up to 5 devices (you need a minimum of two – one for the Direct TV receiver(AC and coax input) and another for the video monitor AC power lines and HDMI or video input cable.  Our kit part # is RFI-HTS.  INFO HERE

These items should help reduce the RFI and let you operate on the air while your wife watches TV.

Bob Brehm, AK6R

Chief Engineer