EMC

[BusyBee]

Something I'm wondering. When an RF or AF electric field gradient exceeds (say) a hundred volts-per-metre, can you wave your arms about and receive a shock?  What about if you're on a metal ladder and touch two parts of it some way apart? Is the same potential picked up by the ladder, but this time with a low source impedance?

Steve

This reminds me of something an engineer who worked at the Rugby shortwave transmitters told me. When working on the feeder lines to the aerials they used earthing straps for safety even when the transmitter was supposibly off. He mentioned that one time he placed a strap across the line a short distance away from a shorted point and there was an almighty bang. I don't know any more details and it was a while ago I heard but it did illuminate the differences between low frequency / DC and radio frequencies. The point I would perhaps make here is that, at the lower frequencies, the effect would be small, but at RF it may be lethal. After all a ladder, at some nominally indeterminate frequency, would become a tuned line (effectively an aerial / tuned circuit?).

Pretty irrelevant except under normal circumstances but never underestimate the dangers of high RF powers and fields.

Tracy