RFI and GFI's

[Sandy W5TVW]

>Hello Heath List members. I need some assistance and or
comments. My
>SB-200 linear tends to trash my laptop computer to the point
where you
>have to power switch reboot. I solved most of this with split
toroids on
>all incoming lines including the PSK interface lines, external
keyboard
>(both ends), phone line, wall wart power supply line, and USB
mouse; only
>the USB mouse problem remains,

This can be VERY difficult to solve!  Is the linear amp and other
gear WELL
grounded?  What I mean by "well grounded", is as short as
possible
ground lead to a seperate ground rod or two or three in parallel,
using
preferably 2 to 3" copper flashing strip or at least 1" wide
tinned flat
grounding braid.  Also suitable is common 1/2 or 3/4" copper
tubing.
A small wire (say 12 or 14 guage copper) is wholly inadequate if
you are *really* looking to "cool off" RF floating around the
shack.
In some instances aboard ship, we had to put a 2-3" copper
flashing
"raceway" on the wall between pieces of gear tied to the main
ground
strap, and run the interconnecting cables on top of the flat
"flashing
copper raceway".  This can be a very sticky problem and no two
jobs
will be the same!
    GFI's, in my opinion, where designed by some daft
bureaucratic
engineer who wasn't thinking at all that stray RF was going to
trip his
precious safety device!  Same goes to whatever genius designed
the "touch lamp" switch and the SCR lamp dimmers!  Stray RF will
drive the "touch lamps" nuts and they and the SCR lamp dimmers
generate some very horrible RFI of their own!

73,
Sandy W5TVW

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