For our latest episode in our ICYMI series for the Line Life Podcast, we are airing the audio story, "Investigating Power Line RFI," from the May 2025 field-focused Electric Utility Operations section in the T&D World print magazine. In this article, Jon Backman, a journeyman lineworker with 20 years of experience in the line trade, shares strategies on how lineworkers can find and eliminate the noise. Because power companies have the legal responsibility to respond to RFI issues caused by their system, their lineworkers can become trained in RFI troubleshooting to perform these investigations properly.
As a first response troubleman for his utility, Jon responds to power outages, electrical emergencies, public safety concerns and customer needs. At one point during his career, he was offered the opportunity to work as an RFI responder, and in this role, he has had the opportunity to learn and evolve. In this audio story, he describes his experiences with training and troubleshooting and also offers seven steps to investigating RFI location.
For more information about Jon, who is also the founder of Making Connections, LLC, listen to the episode, "Working as a Troubleman in the Pacific Northwest," or read his profile.
If you would like to share your story in T&D World magazine or be featured on the Line Life Podcast, email Field Editor Amy Fischbach, host of the Line LIfe Podcast.
