LED's interfere with onboard Radio & GPS

[tbodine88]

The United states coast guard has issued a safety advisory 13-18 which states that LED's are interfering with VHF DSC and GPS.


This seems to be a design flaw in the power supplies for this lighting. I have lit LED's with a simple battery which should emit no RF since it doesn't change. Many power supplies shipped since the early '80s use switching to step up or down the voltage, which if not properly filtered will place voltage spikes on their output and emit a wide band of radio frequency noise.



For myself I will endeavor to shield my radio's from the LED's and test their reception capabilities with the LED on and off.



In this way I hope to avoid sailing in the dark when the USCG makes operator of the exempted device (i.e. LED) stop operating the device upon a after finding that the device is causing harmful interference.


https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/fi...-checklist.pdf



Fair winds & following seas

[S/V Illusion]

Has been a consistent problem for many years due in part by the widespread import of non-compliant cheap LEDs and the low current draw of these lights popular with boaters trying to conserve battery power.

Nothing new here. Buy FCC Part 19 compliant lights