Local Interference source located and assisted a fellow hobbyist with checking interference

A while ago I noticed some new interference shortly after the installation of an electricity Smart Meter at my QTH.  About a month or two after installation SP Ausnet returned to install the antenna section of the meter and it was after this occurred I became aware of new interference on mainly 10 & 15m.  It can be picked up from around 15MHz through to somewhere above 50MHz but is strongest I think in the 20 to 30 MHz range.  It has an approximate varying bandwidth up to around 40khz and it kind of sounds like a washing machine!  Today John VK3TVZ and myself used a handheld radio and loop antennas and confirmed the noise to be from the Smart Meter.

Today we also headed over to the QTH of another hobbyist (Peter VK3OJ) to checkout some interference for him which we believe to be a Plasma TV based on our experience with observing such interference in the past.  Fortunately in a way for him it's only focused mainly in the North, NNE and North East of his QTH so otherwise the Yagi nulls it out.  We beleive there is more than one TV at play and did some inspection on foot and in car through the surrounding streets and did approximately pin point one possible location and approximated another but there is nothing that can really be done!  There was no strong PLI to track but we did managed to track on power pole carrying LV and HV that was buzzing a little on UHF and fairly strong up close on VHF but from his QTH was relatively weak.

We however accidentally discovered Peter has the same Smart Meter as me as when we were scanning around for interference from the car I picked up the same washing machine sounding interference on the same frequencies as home and then confirmed he has the same model Smart Meter and antenna setup as we visually inspected and used the Handheld with loop antennas.  I do not believe the interference is very long range at all, I would estimate a 25m radius from the meter.  The noise is not picked up through the mains.  Some photos below and a video regarding the Smart Meter, note there is a little PLI in the background of the video.

Smart Meter and antenna connection

Close up of Smart Meter antenna connection

Close up of Smart Meter antenna

Loop Antennas and attenuator used

John with the 70cm Yagi and 2m Tape Measure Yagi

Aside from that my first new HF QSO for 2012 was with Peter, VK3ZPF while he was operating mobile from One Tree Hill which is probably only couple of KM from my house! Nice to use 10m for a change.  Now I'm going to test my 706 in the house as it's only putting out 40% to 50% power in the car so I'm going to double check to see if it's the radio or the mobile setup.