Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!lll-crg!ames!ucla-cs!sdcrdcf!trwrb!cadovax!keithd From: keithd@cadovax.UUCP (Keith Doyle) Newsgroups: sci.electronics Subject: Re: Tesla coils Message-ID: <1254@cadovax.UUCP> Date: Fri, 12-Dec-86 14:42:36 EST Article-I.D.: cadovax.1254 Posted: Fri Dec 12 14:42:36 1986 Date-Received: Mon, 15-Dec-86 20:54:57 EST References: <6824@decwrl.DEC.COM> <221@netxcom.UUCP> Reply-To: keithd@cadovax.UUCP (Keith Doyle) Organization: Contel Business Systems, Torrance, CA Lines: 76 In article <221@netxcom.UUCP> ewiles@netxcom.UUCP (Edwin Wiles) writes: >> Tesla's notes from his Colorado Lab were (as I recall) >>seized by the Government at the time of his death and those >>that weren't given to the Czechoslovakian Government are >>still sealed away. >> >Would anyone know WHY the government would do this? I don't remember >anything about Tesla coils or his form of 'broadcast' power that is >especially dangerous, or useful in war. As for the potential of using >it for broadcast power, I remember that either it didn't work too well, >or there was no way to keep unauthorized persons from tapping into the >supply without paying. (Not sure which it was, might be both!) 'Broadcast' power was only ONE of many, many, inventions that Tesla was working on. There were rumors of some kind of 'death ray' type technology that were never substantiated, as well as various other ideas that I suppose could be applied in wartime. In addition, 'broadcast' power could possibly have an effect of a Radio blackout, a powerful enough Tesla power transmitter might be designed that would have the effect of generating enough noise worldwide that would make radio communications difficult. It is interesting to note, that Tesla, recently credited with the invention of radio (rather than the previously believed Marconi) lived at a time and with appropriate knowledge to make minute measurements on the 'background' radio emmisions of the Earth. You may have heard the radio transmissions from Saturn picked up by Voyager. The Earth emits radio noise too, but unfortunately, we could never now get all the radio and TV stations, and CB radios to SHUT UP long enough to make much in the way of measurements of the Earths background emissions. From such measurments, and from observations of lightning activity at Colorado Springs (something like the most electrically active place on the face of the Earth), he deduced the resonant frequency of the Earth itself (I don't remember what it is exactly, but somewhere between 0 and 1 hertz). Using this knowledge, he designed his 'power without wires' system, that may have worked effectively by inducing the Earth's magnetosphere into resonance. With such a system, one could sink an antenna into the ground anywhere on the surface of the Earth, and tap into this source of power. Or at least so Tesla thought. Whether or not this scheme would actually work, we may never know. It's kind of too late now, as it is probably incompatible with our present use of radio frequency transmissions, as such a power transmission system would most likely wreak havoc on radio and T.V. all over the world. It is certain that Tesla was convinced of its viability, though his financial patron J. P. Morgan pulled the plug, because there was no economic advantage to 'free' power (and how do you 'meter' peoples use of power, when all they have to do is sink a simple antenna?). Not only that, it is not clear in my mind that enough 'antennas' tapping into this 'seemingly limitless' source of 'free' energy, wouldn't actually tax the 'exiteing circuit' i.e. the Tesla coil driving the resonant tank circuit (the Earth). But, it is fun to think about. I wonder if there will ever be a human being on this earth who has the kind of understanding of 'resonance' that Tesla must have had. He demonstrated the ability to virtually raze buildings to the ground with a small tapping device that would cause the resonance to build up in a building to the point of collapse. How he knew where to 'tap' on a building, and at what frequency is beyond me, but it is sure interesting to think about such things. For more information on Nikola Tesla, read 'Man out of Time' by Margaret Cheney one of the better Tesla biographies, (and perhaps the only one still in print). It recounts the 'war' between Tesla and Edison over AC vs DC power, (Edison publically electrocuted various animals with AC to show how *dangerous* it was, including dogs, a horse and an ELEPHANT! {I've seen the elephant on film}) and various anecdotes involving his friendship with Samuel Clemens. Keith Doyle # {ucbvax,ihnp4,decvax}!trwrb!cadovax!keithd # cadovax!keithd@ucla-locus.arpa