Topband: HVDC

[Herbert Schoenbohm]

As the Nicolai Tesla and Thomas Edison war ragged on between the 
adoption of DC versus AC for commercial power distribution, Edison was 
said to have engaged in a large financed propaganda campaign call 
Tesla's AC distribution method "the currents of death."  This included 
graphic cartoons of the fact that with a DC shock a person would be able 
to let go while with AC the person muscles would contract and they would 
be drawn into the "more dangerous" electricity.
With the help of George Westinghouse Tesla eventually got his idea 
adopted universally. But in the 50's there were still parts of the world 
like Manaus Brazil on the Amazon River still using DC to power the 
city.  Even more ironic was the Canal Zone which was using 25HZ AC to 
run their operation.  Imagine the size of their transformers with this 
frequency.


Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ


> I think people are being silly.
>
> Not only has there never been any evidence (beyond some fraudulent thing
> that created hysteria) that power lines ever cause health problems,  a dc
> line has much less radiation.
>
> As far as Ham radio, a dc is far less problematic for noise.  690 kV dc is
> like 487 kV ac, except the line doesn't have the charging and discharging
> issues that generate a lot of noise in bad connections.
>
> The only possible issues would be noise at the dc-to-ac converters, but they
>
> might be miles from you.
>
> I wouldn't worry, and I would not support those who worry about other issues
>
> like safety or health.
>
> 73 Tom
>
>> Tom is referring to a book published in 1976 by Paul Brodeur titled "The
> Zapping of America."
>> The subject was bio-effects of AC powerlines. He also wrote several
> articles for the New Yorker
>> which is a well known "scientific journal."
>> Most of the objections are from environmental issues. We have the "Northern
> Pass" project in NH that is driving the Sierra Club
>> and many others nuts over despoiling the natural beauty of NH.
>> Craig K1QX
> _________________
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