G4NSJ – RF crashing your computer

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RF isn’t good for computers:

I’ve had quite a few problems with RF getting into my PC, and I’m not alone. It’s not at all uncommon for a computer to go mental in the presence of RF. Transmitting on 60 metres, I tried to monitor my signal on the Hack Green WebSDR. If I ran more than 10 Watts, the PC crashed. When using digital modes on HF, I was restricted to 10 Watts or less.

Some possible answers:

My PC is housed in a metal tower. Grounding the tower has helped tremendously. I can now run up to 25 Watts on 60 metres with no problems. The speaker leads were acting as an aerial. Ferrite rings fitted close to the PC and keeping the leads short improved matters: up to 40 Watts with no problems. Keeping all leads short and using more ferrite rings, plus unplugging unnecessary peripherals such as cameras and microphones, finally allowed me to run 100 Watts on 60 metres whilst monitoring Hack Green. I can also run full power on other bands.

Ferrite rings might not help in your particular situation, but it’s worth a try. Grounding your computer case is also worth trying. If you have something like a Surface Pro, put it in a grounded metal box. I tried that with a Surface Pro and it make a real difference. High SWR will make matters worse, as will poor grounding of radio equipment.

If you have a serious amount of RF in the shack, nothing will keep it out of your computer. If you have a serious amount of RF in the shack, something is obviously very wrong. Redesign your shack and all wiring.