BasicB-008-002-008
What device can be used to minimize the effect of RF pickup by audio wires connected to stereo speakers, intercom amplifiers, telephones, etc.?
C
Answer
Safety
Type
A
High-pass filter
B
Attenuator
C
Coil on ferrite core
D
Surge suppressor
Answer Notes
Long audio wires connected to speakers, intercoms, or telephones can easily act as unintended antennas, picking up stray Radio Frequency (RF) energy. A highly effective and simple way to choke off this RF current is by creating a coil around a ferrite core, often called a ferrite choke or ferrite bead.
Ferrite cores are magnetic materials that offer high resistance (impedance) to high-frequency RF signals while allowing low-frequency audio signals to pass through unaffected. When the wire is wrapped around the ferrite, it forms a common-mode choke that blocks the RF interference.
Other options are incorrect: high-pass filters block audio and pass RF (the opposite of what is needed), attenuators reduce all signal levels, and surge suppressors are for high-voltage power spikes, not RF interference.
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Your SSB HF transmissions are heard muffled on a sound system in the living room regardless of its volume setting. What causes this?
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Stereo speaker leads often act as antennas to pick up RF signals. What is one method you can use to minimize this effect?