Find RFI causes in mobile operations

Mobile RFI, often manifesting as persistent noise in the receiver even with the antenna disconnected, frequently originates from the vehicle's power supply system. This guide details systematic troubleshooting steps, beginning with isolating the radio from the car's 12-volt supply to confirm the power system as the noise source. It emphasizes the critical importance of drawing power directly from the battery using heavy gauge wire, bypassing the fuse block to leverage the battery's natural capacitance for RFI suppression and ensuring a solid RF ground.

Proper routing of power lines through the firewall is also covered, advocating for dedicated grommeted holes to prevent inductive coupling from other wiring harnesses. The article stresses the necessity of fusing both positive and negative leads from the battery, a crucial safety measure to prevent damage to the rig and mitigate high-current risks should the battery's engine block ground become compromised during service.

Addressing alternator whine, a common high-pitched noise that varies with engine speed, the resource suggests checking battery connections and the alternator-to-battery harness for looseness or corrosion. It also mentions the utility of adding an external RF noise suppression capacitor in parallel with the alternator's internal capacitor for enhanced filtering, and the effectiveness of commercially available in-line power supply filters.