How Ubiquitous RF Noise Affects Our Lives (2)

How Serious is RF Noise Pollution?

RF noise is much higher in cities than in suburbs due to the large and varied collection of electronic devices in cities. Personal computers, radios, household appliances, and industrial electronics in cities are all denser than in rural areas.

Someone did an experiment. They drove along a high-voltage power line with detection equipment for a long time, and they didn't detect much RF noise, but found some random hot spots. This suggests that the source of the RF noise here is not a systemic factor, and there is no design flaw in the high-voltage transmission line. But these random RF noise hotspots detected could be the result of a loose nut or cracked line insulation. These RF noises wouldn't be a problem if the power company could repair the lines on a regular basis, but in reality, the power company often waits until someone starts complaining before making circuit repairs.

In this measurement experiment, the outdoor high-voltage line, which is most likely to generate RF noise, was 10% higher than 500 MHz. At a distance of 100 meters from the high-voltage line, alarming levels of noise were detected. In some cases, this noise can reach 60 decibels, which is beyond the thermal noise level that can exist in a normal environment.