Re: Tesla's Wireless Power Transmission ==> was Re: Non-tech Qu

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Tesla's Wireless Power Transmission ==> was Re: Non-tech Qu
From: "Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz" <acmq-at-compuland-dot-com.br> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 09:17:27 -0600
Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

Tesla List wrote:

> Original Poster: "Dan Kunkel" <kunk77-at-juno-dot-com>

I am avoiding to comment in this area, that I'm really sure to be
pure nonsense, and the reason why Tesla is remembered more as the 
prototype of the "mad scientist" than as the father of many useful
inventions, but...

> You're right about the inverse square law (i = 1 / r * r ) aplying to
> Tesla Coils. The fact is, they due make lousy radio transmitters. But,
> fortunately that is not how Tesla envisioned them to operate. He wanted
> them to pump low frequency  current into the earth at the earth's natural
> resonance. 

This "Earth natural resonances" are just the frequencies where a signal
that propagates in totally conventional ways returns to the transmitting
spot in phase with the transmitted wave, after going around the entire
Earth. Considering Earth's circumference as 40000 km and the propagation
speed as 300000 km/s, this results in 7.5 Hz as the first resonance
frequency. The energy spreads to almost nothing a short distance from
the transmitter, and concentrates again only around the transmitter
after going around the Earth. Considering resistive losses in the
imperfect conductors along all the way and the many different paths
followed by the signal around the irregular surface of the Earth,
the attenuation along all the way is too large for any useful purpose.
The returned signal is surely barely detectable with very sensitive 
instruments.

> To recieve your electrical service, you pound a ground rod in
> the ground and tune your "recieving coil" to the same freq. And viola,
> you have power. 

Where is the return path for the ground current?

Many coilers have done this experiment and proved that it
> does work, even at RF currents.

1 kW input, 1 mW output meters away...

> Tesla also knew and proved that gas under low pressure (or "rarified gas"
> as he called it) was indeed very cunducting. In fact just as conducting
> as a wire (if not more efficient). That is why that neon sign
> transformers are current limited, a neon sign tube is an almost perfect
> dead short. 

With 600 V across it, dissipating tens or hundreds of Watts.

So with this in mind, he wanted to excite the ionisphere (or
> the Schuman cavity as we know it today). The Schuman cavity has a natural
> and proven resonance.

With very low Q.

Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz