Edgewood RFI

UPDATE: 2024/10/12

The Edgewood HOA has powered back on all RFI emitting equipment. They know this equipment is defective.

Please call Shane Hill @ (279) 252-8072, or email:

shanehill@edgewoodhoa.org

for help in filing an FCC complaint.

Information on filing an FCC complaint can be found here: birdcageheights.com/FCC.

The Camera system was installed by:

Mr. Security Camera of Sacramento / MSC Integration

The Edgewood Homeowners Association on Spyglass is causing many residents in the adjacent neighborhoods electrical problems, due to powerful radio frequency interference generated by their security camera system installed on and around the “Clubhouse” (poolhouse) and RV parking area.

The biggest issue for those living near the Edgewood property is the Radio Frequency Interference they are causing, which may affect your WiFi, television reception, bluetooth, and most importantly, cellular phone connectivity (emergency calls), Public Safety Communications like police/fire/EMT 2-way radios, and sensitive medical devices. For example, pacemakers, apnea monitors, electrically powered wheelchairs, etc., can fail to operate correctly because of interference from various emitters of radiofrequency energy (source).

If you live adjacent to the Edgewood HOA, like many residents on Kingswood Dr, Cypress Point, and Doral Ct, then you may be having other issues such as aggressive weed growth from neglected landscaping to very bright parking lot lighting, to strange noises at night coming from parked RVs (this has all been reported by other neighbors).

If you look at the installation of the camera system:

It is just metal pipe conduit fastened to a chain link fence and to the side of the clubhouse. The simplest and least labor intensive approach was employed in installing this system, contributing significantly to the problems, while we paid a high price. It is also quite hideous.

The problem with the camera system is it emits powerful radio frequency interference (RFI). That’s not even considering it is ridiculously expensive and inappropriate for our needs.

Radio frequency interference (RFI) is electromagnetic interference (EMI) that occurs when unwanted radio frequency signals disrupt electronic devices or radio communication systems. This interference can affect the quality of your Wi-Fi network, the ability to receive broadcast TV and radio, and basically anything wireless, including cellular phones.

I advised Russ, on the Edgewood Board, that our phones aren’t working reliably for text messages and incoming and outgoing calls. In a message, I told Russ:

“My wife and I discussed today many of the times we’ve had problems making and receiving phone calls in our home. We are very disturbed knowing that if we had to call for emergency services, we may not have been able to. At this moment, we may still not be able to. That’s a big problem.” 

I offered my help and tools to help find and solve this problem. I even offered to donate replacement hardware if that was determined to be the problem. Regardless, nothing seemed to motivate Russ to lift a finger until I threatened to file an FCC complaint. The RFI is still a problem to this day. Russ has put more effort into avoiding me, and avoiding the problem, then it would have ever taken to mitigate and begin to solve it.

The RFI displayed on a spectrum scope.

How the spectrum should normally look.

The entire camera system comprises two identical sections, or “endpoints.” One endpoint is a power-over-ethernet networked system covering the RV parking lot, and the other mostly identical system covers the clubhouse/pool area. The systems are connected with dish antennas mounted to the RV parking fence and clubhouse. I’m dubious of the decision to go with a point-to-point microwave link to go that short distance.

Both the power-over-ethernet networking equipment and the power supply components generate RFI, which is propagated by the metal conduits and chain-link fence, which act as giant and remarkably efficient antennas.

I believe most of the emissions emanate from the DC-DC buck conversion circuit supplying power to the networking switches and cameras while providing redundant battery backup. The RF travels through the unshielded ethernet cables and couples to the metal pipe conduit, creating a high-voltage standing wave on the conduit and, in the case of RV Parking, the entire chain-link fence, resulting in very powerful RFI traveling a far distance.

UPDATE: 2024/10/15

I want to point out that radio works with photons like light and can be transmitted with unusual or unpredictable radiation patterns.  An electronic device may work fine at the clubhouse or RV parking lot but not work on my second story.

A device may work today but not tomorrow.

It took me quite a while to zero in on the source of the RFI with my detection equipment, primarily because the radiation pattern is significantly vertical, or almost straight up, with “lobes” probably around 40 degrees, skimming my house.  I couldn’t see the RFI while walking or driving close to the surface and close to the sources.

This is a real problem that’s affecting us at this moment, every second, every day.

Additionally, there is no question as to what is causing the RFI (interference).  When power is removed from the camera system, the RFI stops.

Radiofrequency interference with medical devices. A technical information statement [National Library of Medicine]

End Update

In addition, the Ubiquity branded power-over-ethernet (PoE) switches are notoriously noisy. I overlaid an image of the camera system RFI with an example image of RFI someone posted on an internet forum:

The spectrum image at the very top is an image of RFI submitted by someone online, showing the effects of ubiquity equipment mounted and sharing space on an antenna tower.  

 

I overlaid the image of RFI as generated by the security camera system below it.  Although the specific models of equipment might very slightly, as well as the installation, the RFI signatures are similar.

This camera system generates two distinct and powerful RFI signatures from both camera system endpoints. I knew this interference existed for quite some time, but as it was always so powerful and so unrelenting, I always thought it was the result of faulty SMUD equipment. So much so I have been working with a SMUD engineer for a few years now, trying to find and solve the problem.

In fact, the problem is multiple emissions from two separate endpoints of the same PoE/microwave link/camera system.

The power supply/redundant power components and the PoE switch (likely Ubiquity brand) generate the RFI at both endpoints. This RFI is propagated into the universe by the long length of the effective antennas, the ethernet cable conduit/chain-link fence, 10 feet elevated, without a proper low-impedance RF path to ground.

RF works with the property of reciprocity. If RF energy is leaking out, RF energy can get in. I suspect these cameras have always been unreliable.

These are also clearly unlawful levels of radiated emissions. Since the power supply components are significantly responsible for the RFI, while any components of this camera system are connected to power, they are radiating high levels of harmful emissions.

This RFI is being generated by an inadvertent transmitter. It is not designed to radiate in a controlled and engineered way, so it generates broad-banded interference all over the spectrum, while changing and moving around the spectrum. It can easily compromise the critical two-way radio communications of law enforcement and other first responders in this vicinity, including the neighborhoods behind and to the sides of the clubhouse.

The frequencies also affect aeronautical HF, and military HF, and a good portion of the RFI energy is directed straight up.

I have discussed this with what I believed to be other affected parties, other residents of Edgewood, and the outlying community. I have found people who suffered problems on Kingswood Dr., Cypress Point Ln., and Doral Ct. Some of these people are prepared to file FCC complaints.

The RV parking/tennis court part of the system has been powered down since March/April. I can’t get information about the system around the clubhouse. I believe it is at least connected to AC power, if not powered on entirely. RFI continues to be a problem in that area, though the coverage has shifted. Russ has never agreed to meet with me regarding this or any other issue. Emails are not returned. (Per update at the top of the page, the camera system and RFI has been powered back on.)

*RFI can be caused by simple devices that worked fine in the lab but when deployed cause interference with wireless networks we all depend on every day; Public Safety Dispatch radio communications sometimes can’t be effectively used because of interference such as receiver saturation which garbles the communications.

*RFI, under the right conditions, can disrupt virtually any electrical or electronically controlled device, with potentially harmful or even disastrous results.

*The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) investigates and takes enforcement action against radio frequency interference (RFI) that violates the Communications Act, Commission rules, or station authorization. The FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB) routes complaints within its jurisdiction to the appropriate field office for investigation.

*The FCC’s enforcement actions include: monetary forfeiture, seizure of equipment, injunctive relief, and criminal arrest and/or fine.

[Mr. Security Camera of Sacramento] [MSC Integration] [Sacramento Security Camera]

An initial email response Russ received from Mr. Security Camera of Sacramento is nonsensical. They claim the cameras and cabling are likely not the source of the interference, yet they go on to suggest trenching and undergrounding the conduit.

A subsequent email from Mr. Security Camera of Sacramento to Russ.  They are telling Russ there isn’t much they will do.  Inexplicably I am banned from inspecting the repairs.  They know I will foil their attempts to not find or fix a problem.  To their credit, they are simply not capable of diagnosing and solving this complex electrical problem.

Russ attempted to get support from Ubiquity, likely after he failed to get any results from the camera installation company, Mr. Security Camera of Sacramento.  He forwarded this question from Ubiquity support to me.

I asked him if we could escalate the support ticket since I had already identified the system’s offending components.  I have never heard back from Russ.

An additional image of the RFI as seen on detection equipment located within my home ~150 feet away.

Most of these emissions are generated when the RV parking system is connected to power.  Some are generated by the clubhouse system.