he said it tasted strongly of copper
September 6, 2024 3:16 AM Subscribe
This showed up on my youtube feed a couple days ago and I didn't watch it because I couldn't tell from the thumbnail whether these people took the necessary safety precautions or were just another creator doing something wildly dangerous for the views.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 5:35 AM on September 6 [2 favorites]
posted by RonButNotStupid at 5:35 AM on September 6 [2 favorites]
I had no idea there was any danger potential with AM radio broadcast antennae.
posted by SoberHighland at 5:39 AM on September 6 [3 favorites]
posted by SoberHighland at 5:39 AM on September 6 [3 favorites]
I had no idea there was any danger potential with AM radio broadcast antennae.
"Fifty thousand-watt blowtorch" isn't strictly commercial radio promotional copy.
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 6:44 AM on September 6 [8 favorites]
"Fifty thousand-watt blowtorch" isn't strictly commercial radio promotional copy.
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 6:44 AM on September 6 [8 favorites]
[The hot dog] did an excellent job demodulating the AM signal into audible sound...
Like a newfangled crystal radio??
posted by MtDewd at 6:50 AM on September 6 [1 favorite]
Like a newfangled crystal radio??
posted by MtDewd at 6:50 AM on September 6 [1 favorite]
What happens when you touch a pickle to an AM radio tower?
You violate a very specific FCC rule.
posted by credulous at 7:00 AM on September 6 [17 favorites]
You violate a very specific FCC rule.
posted by credulous at 7:00 AM on September 6 [17 favorites]
I shared this with a friend who is a former radio engineer. He got a kick out of it.
posted by Thorzdad at 7:46 AM on September 6 [1 favorite]
posted by Thorzdad at 7:46 AM on September 6 [1 favorite]
What happens when you touch a pickle to an AM radio tower?
Rush Limbaugh springs, fully formed, to life. Talent on loan from Clausen.
posted by zaixfeep at 8:14 AM on September 6 [2 favorites]
Rush Limbaugh springs, fully formed, to life. Talent on loan from Clausen.
posted by zaixfeep at 8:14 AM on September 6 [2 favorites]
The critical factor not mentioned in the headline is it's a grounded pickle. Provided there's enough insulation between you and the ground (and the grass is dry), you are probably okay touching it, though it's not wise in any case.
posted by tommasz at 8:47 AM on September 6
posted by tommasz at 8:47 AM on September 6
Other internet experiments with food: pop-tart blow torches and fun with grapes.
posted by JHarris at 8:52 AM on September 6 [1 favorite]
posted by JHarris at 8:52 AM on September 6 [1 favorite]
Provided there's enough insulation between you and the ground (and the grass is dry), you are probably okay touching it, though it's not wise in any case.
Weren't a lot of early AM transmitters located in marshy areas because they provided a good ground? The transmitters for for WRKO (50,000 watts) and WEEI (50,000 watts) are located in the middle of swamps and the tower for WBZ (50,000 watts unlimited!) is in the middle of a salt marsh just a few feet above sea level.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 9:06 AM on September 6 [2 favorites]
Weren't a lot of early AM transmitters located in marshy areas because they provided a good ground? The transmitters for for WRKO (50,000 watts) and WEEI (50,000 watts) are located in the middle of swamps and the tower for WBZ (50,000 watts unlimited!) is in the middle of a salt marsh just a few feet above sea level.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 9:06 AM on September 6 [2 favorites]
The critical factor not mentioned in the headline is it's a grounded pickle.
Well that’s good, I’d hate it if the fame of going viral made it forget who its real friends are.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 9:49 AM on September 6 [6 favorites]
Well that’s good, I’d hate it if the fame of going viral made it forget who its real friends are.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 9:49 AM on September 6 [6 favorites]
The critical factor not mentioned in the headline is it's a grounded pickle. Provided there's enough insulation between you and the ground (and the grass is dry), you are probably okay touching it, though it's not wise in any case.
Touching a conductor energized at 600V by a power supply capable of 15-100 amps of current is going to give you a bad day even at DC. Given that it's actually RF, though, it's an even worse idea, since the voltage at any point could be far higher. Even if you did measure it in advance, you touching the antenna will change the impedance of the system and change the voltage/current relationship across the whole system.
The best case scenario here is that the transmitter detects a fault and shuts down before you get completely cooked. There's a reason Papa Geerling was wearing insulated gloves.
posted by wierdo at 10:53 AM on September 6 [1 favorite]
Touching a conductor energized at 600V by a power supply capable of 15-100 amps of current is going to give you a bad day even at DC. Given that it's actually RF, though, it's an even worse idea, since the voltage at any point could be far higher. Even if you did measure it in advance, you touching the antenna will change the impedance of the system and change the voltage/current relationship across the whole system.
The best case scenario here is that the transmitter detects a fault and shuts down before you get completely cooked. There's a reason Papa Geerling was wearing insulated gloves.
posted by wierdo at 10:53 AM on September 6 [1 favorite]
Plasma Shockwave Pickle
posted by The otter lady at 11:16 AM on September 6 [1 favorite]
posted by The otter lady at 11:16 AM on September 6 [1 favorite]
What happens when you touch a pickle to an AM radio tower?
You get an EMP.
.
.
.
.
Electro-magnetic pickle.
posted by axiom at 8:19 PM on September 6 [3 favorites]
You get an EMP.
.
.
.
.
Electro-magnetic pickle.
posted by axiom at 8:19 PM on September 6 [3 favorites]
I am reminded of a scene from my high school physics class, where the teacher had a Van de Graaff generator going, and one student asked what would happen if he put a piece of paper between the spheres.
This teacher was normally a grump, but he got a little smile and said 'What a good question. Go ahead and see what happens.'
When the guy got the paper within a foot of the spark, he got zapped.
Only time I saw that teacher laugh. (the sadist)
posted by MtDewd at 11:44 AM on September 7 [1 favorite]
This teacher was normally a grump, but he got a little smile and said 'What a good question. Go ahead and see what happens.'
When the guy got the paper within a foot of the spark, he got zapped.
Only time I saw that teacher laugh. (the sadist)
posted by MtDewd at 11:44 AM on September 7 [1 favorite]
Considering the results the pictured fence appears totally inadequate .
posted by Mitheral at 12:21 PM on September 8 [1 favorite]
posted by Mitheral at 12:21 PM on September 8 [1 favorite]
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posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs
antieponysterical!
posted by chavenet at 3:36 AM on September 6 [6 favorites]