Technician 2026-2030T7B07

Which of the following can reduce interference to a 2-meter band transceiver from a nearby commercial FM station?

D
Answer
Practical circuits, troubleshooting, and measurements
Type
A
Installing an RF preamplifier
B
Using double-shielded coaxial cable
C
Installing bypass capacitors on the microphone cable
D
Installing a band-reject filter

Answer Notes

Commercial FM broadcast stations operate between 88 and 108 MHz at very high power levels. Because this frequency range is relatively close to the 2-meter amateur band (144-148 MHz), the strong commercial signals can easily overload the front end of a 2-meter transceiver, causing desensitization or interference. To resolve this, you can install a band-reject filter (often called a notch filter) tuned to the FM broadcast band. This filter will block the interfering commercial frequencies from reaching your receiver while allowing the desired 2-meter signals to pass through unimpeded. The distractors will not help in this scenario. Installing an RF preamplifier would actually make the overload problem worse by amplifying the already overpowering commercial signal. Double-shielded coax will not help because the interfering signal is entering through the antenna itself, and bypass capacitors on a microphone cable only help with audio transmission issues.
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Which of the following actions should you take if a neighbor tells you that your station’s transmissions are interfering with their radio or TV reception?
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What should you do if something in a neighbor’s home is causing harmful interference to your amateur station?