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How to contact your utility to report a problem
So, you have a power line noise problem, and hopefully you've identified
specific poles, or least least the general area that the noise is coming from.
And now you'd like to contact the utility.
Before you actually do that, I would suggest several things:
1) If you're hearing the noise at home, at a time when the noise is bad, plug
your rig into a battery (or plug your power supply into a computer UPS), and go
flip the MAIN breaker in your house. Yes, really. (Don't do so when
the xYL is cooking dinner, though ;-). Even better, have someone else flip
the breaker, and you watch the radio, to make sure the noise level doesn't
change. It might be very unlikely that the problem is really in your
house, but it is best to make sure, and this will also allow you to guarantee to
the utility that the noise doesn't originate from your house. Then go
reset all your clocks...
2) If you haven't done so already, read the
ARRL Power Line Noise
FAQ. If you have read it, read it again. Yes, it is long.
It is also full of very important information. Follow the steps they
suggest, particularly when it comes to contacting the utility.
3) Make a folder in your email software, and/or a document folder on your
computer, just to hold emails/files for this issue. Also, make a LOG file
-- log.txt or RFI-LOG.DOC, whatever, and in it, keep a 1-liner of EVERY contact
you have related to your problem -- phone, email, letter.
4) If you're in a bad mood, wait until you get over it. Don't be a
hothead when you contact the utility. Yes, you can afford to wait an hour
or a day... believe me, you'll probably be doing a whole lot more
waiting...
OK, so you've done all that. NOW, you can contact the utility.
You might call the first time; be very nice, respectful, etc. The
helpdesk person isn't your enemy -- it isn't his/her fault that the pole is noisy.
Get a problem ticket #, see if they'll give you a date, and then LOG it and wait.
If they partly fix the problem, thank them for doing so, and then inform them
that it isn't completely fixed. Again, do as much locating yourself as you
can.
If things aren't getting done, you might find that letters work better.
Emails might be a good second step, if you can get the email address of the
"right" person. I have ended up writing hardcopy letters -- two copies -- one to
the CEO, one to the maintenance manager -- and the one to the CEO goes
"certified". If nothing else, it should get their attention. Always,
always, be polite, gracious, helpful, and yes, you can be firm, too. Make
sure to thank them if they have somehow managed to fix one of the noise sources.
If they are clueless, send them some info, such as the ARRL info, the
Radar
Engineers web site, or refer them to
RFI Services. If you can find the problem for them (yes, I know it is
their responsibility), you'll have taken a big step in getting it fixed.
You are probably better at finding than they are, and they should be more adept
at fixing it -- if you can get them to really try, of course.
If you're getting nowhere, follow the complaint process at the
ARRL Power Line Noise
FAQ page -- and note that in each step, they assume it gets fixed, UNLESS you tell them
otherwise. (Their wording: Should you fail to contact the ARRL at any
time during or after this step, your case may incorrectly be assumed to have
been resolved.) The ARRL is helpful, but it will not be a fast process.
You'll need much patience, and then you'll need more patience. But also be
appropriately persistent, and maybe, just maybe, something will get done.
The jury is still out on that, in my case...
(You can hit the "back" button on your browser, or click to go back to the
PowerLineNoise.com home page.)
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