hum from nearby high-tension wires?

Steverw...Please do the portable radio check. This would probably set some people's minds at ease about radiated EMF.

Just as I figured. You'd be amazed how many houses have bad grounds. Keep us posted on the repair.

I agree with Aball. If you have a metallic main incoming water line that should be your main earth grounding electrode. Call an electrical contractor and have him check all the earth ground connections, both ends.

Be careful messing with the earth ground connections. Sometimes a difference of potential, voltage, can exist between the ground wire/s, (grounding electrode conductor/s), and the earth ground/s, (grounding electrode/s).
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01-31-06: Steverw
>>"Jea48: maybe 80 feet high. Insulator about the height of a large owl or hawk (maybe a foot?) (I often see them sitting on the line)."<<
>>>>>>>>

Sure sounds like 69KV. No Kite flying near those lines.
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plastic water pipe. Sigh.

Turned out to be a loose connection.

There was no radio noise, even right under the wires.

But now I know a lot more about grounding, thanks for the advice.