RadioShack® Snap-Together Ferrite Choke Core

Comments about RadioShack Snap-Together Ferrite Choke Core:

I was experiencing interference on my radio from my new Dell XPS desktop (Intel core I5) and this ferrite core choke worked very well in eliminating the interference. It went from an S meter reading of 2-3 to zero on my 2 meter single sideband radio (Kenwood TS-2000X).

Comments about RadioShack Snap-Together Ferrite Choke Core:

I am a licensed amateur radio operator. Hams use these ferrite chokes all the time. Our stations and antennas are in close proximity to all of our other electronic gear: computers, TV's, stereos, phone systems, you name it. It helps to have a little knowledge about how to use them. Even without a whole lot of know-how, a little experimentation will often yield good results. The principle behind these is that RF interference travels on the surface of conductor. It can be picked up from various sources and make antennas out of all kinds of wiring. If the source of the RF is close enough, it can hit the internal electronic directly, without travelling on the wiring. These chokes won't help in that case. Just experiment with putting them on where wires enter the gear that picking up the interference: TV cables, power cords, whatever. Don't stick them on the ground side of a DC line. It may isolate that section of line and turn it into an antenna and make the problem worse. Just keep experimenting. This type of choke only works with "common mode" interference. (Google it.) This is where the EMI is distributing on both the "hot" and the "ground/shield." If the interference is coming in on only one half of a line, an in-line filter of another type is required. They really do work, and have been used by thousands of ham operators to deal with real "close-up" interference for many years.

Comments about RadioShack Snap-Together Ferrite Choke Core:

I use these to supress RFI from my Ham Radio equipment into Computers, Phones and other equipment. They do work - for phone lines make one wrap around the core so you have a loop. For my USB cables I needed 2 of these - you may need more than one for a cable depending on what you are trying to supress. I suspect the ferrite material is #43 which is typical for these I wish you had #73 or 77 too. For difficult cases use the larger donut cores #73 from supply houses.

Comments about RadioShack Snap-Together Ferrite Choke Core:

I installed a 10M antenna 15 ft from my direct TV dish. TX at any power was wiping out the direct TV signal to receiver. One choke resolved the problem. Have tested it up to 100W output. I will have 2 or 3 on hand at all times in the shack.

Comments about RadioShack Snap-Together Ferrite Choke Core:

What mixture is it made of?
The mixture gives the frequency range in which it works best. Without that info, you are wasting time and money.
Extra CLass Amateur Radio operator
BSME / BSEE

Comments about RadioShack Snap-Together Ferrite Choke Core:

From another review: "And if you have a multi-thousand-watt commercial broadcast station located just down the street, you can't expect an inexpensive ferrite choke to eliminate interference from a source like that!"

Well, maybe you can. There is a radio station broadcasting less than 1.5 miles from my house and it was loud and clear through my computer's speakers. Always had to power the speakers down if I wasn't listening music. When I was listening to music, the radio station was always in the background anyway.

Read about these ferrite rings and decided it was cheap enough, so I bought three different sizes. It turns out I only needed to put them on one cable -- the thicker one coming out of the back of the sub-woofer box leading to the speakers.

The one's intended for coax cable were just a little too large in diameter and would slide on the cable, so I put one of the smaller ones behind it securing it with a zip tie because it wouldn't snap shut (a little too narrow, in this case). I put four of them on as close to the back of the sub-woofer as possible, with the smaller ones holding the larger ones in place.

No more 99.9 The Hawk broadcasts!

Very happy with this solution.

Comments about RadioShack Snap-Together Ferrite Choke Core:

have placed on numerous cable/elec cord, no good results

Comments about RadioShack Snap-Together Ferrite Choke Core:

This filter really works for eliminating RFI interference that stopped some of my power line X10 wall socket receivers from responding. I placed the filter on the AC power cord of the DVD recorder/HDD copier that was causing the problem even when turned off. Put the filter as close as possible to where the wire exits the case. Pass wire through the 17/64" ID hole in the filter and snap shut. Make a loop in the wire to hold filter in place. This filter should help eliminate RFI put out by most switching power supplies.

Comments about RadioShack Snap-Together Ferrite Choke Core:

I have mid-fi digital audio equiptment ($20K). Used these on unshielded speaker cables, interconnects and electrical power lines. Results were fantastic. Best results when used on all cables. Like a total system upgrade, for less than $50!!

Comments about RadioShack Snap-Together Ferrite Choke Core:

These chokes work just fine for the purpose for which they are meant. If you're getting RF interference that is coming in via a wire or cable, these chokes will help cut it down or eliminate it. If the interference is coming from somewhere else, you can't expect these chokes to eliminate it. And if you have a multi-thousand-watt commercial broadcast station located just down the street, you can't expect an inexpensive ferrite choke to eliminate interference from a source like that!