Wideband noise south-east Qld this week

[VK4KD]

There has been a lot of noise (S9+) across large parts of multiple bands around SEQ this week.

My 2m mobile rig was being smashed all around the 146-147MHz mark at Rothwell around 2100 on Monday, and then again last night between 2000 and 2100 at Eatons Hill.

I've heard unconfirmed reports of the noise extending up into 70cm (!) and down to 20m (!!) and as far afield as the Sunshine Coast (!!!)

So far it seems to have mainly been a problem after dark. It just sounds like white-noise, I can't detect any real signal in it.

I managed to catch a very solid and *wide* (around 50KHz) spike about 30dB above the noise floor here, centred right on 146.500, so I grabbed a yagi and went DFing.

Only had limited time available, but I could see 45dB above the noise floor at a bearing of around 240 (true) from Eatons Hill, and about the same bearing from Clear Mountain, which would roughly place it on a line out through Marburg towards Warwick. My VK3YNG sniffer was showing a peak strength of "4", which means it's detecting enough signal to break squelch with 60dB of attenuation in the way.

Whatever it is, it's strong, and it's pervasive.

Anyone else able to get a direction on it?

[VK4KD]

Here's a screenshot of the waterfall in front of me at the moment and another a few minutes ago.

There was a wide burst at 146.500 just before 1900, I didn't manage to screenshot that one.

       

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And here's some more...

         

[VK4KD]

And here's tonight's noise display..... caught it just as it stopped.