425K views · Feb 5, 2016 · 0:49 · 0 HN recommenders · 7 mentions · discussed 2020–2023
A one-minute clip where an AM radio station can be heard through the arcing of a high-power transmitter tower.
Why Hacker News points people here: Shared as a curiosity showing that with enough power almost anything can demodulate AM radio.
“With enough power, literally anything can become an AM radio.”HN comment, 2022
“The AM (Amplitude Modulation) transmission is even quite simple to understand and build.”
AM radio demodulated by an arc at a transmitter tower.
I'm surprised nobody mentioned radio communication. The AM (Amplitude Modulation) transmission is even quite simple to understand and build. You can even create an electric arc between the ground and the transmitting tower as a cheap (and dangerous) receiver: this video
“It could actually have been arcing”
Demonstrates arcing near a high-power AM tower.
I'm not entirely sure what process is converting to sound, but the metal fence makes a great antenna and we are talking about 10's of feet from the antenna with 500 kW AM at 200 kHz going into it. It could actually have been arcing: this video
“Also you can hear AM radio transmission if you short the tower”
AM audio heard by shorting the tower.
Also you can hear AM radio transmission if you short the tower: this video Electricity is both awesome and terrifying
“With enough power, literally anything can become an AM radio.”
With enough power anything demodulates AM.
Fun link time: With enough power, literally anything can become an AM radio. No tuning or filtering is required. this video link
this video link Do not understand the explanation. Just put a space will get the hn act. And copy is just right click or touch-hold. Am I missing something ?
“Was the sound you heard like either of these?”
Example of hearing AM radio from structures.
I grew up in a house that was next door to a radio rebroadcasting facility, and we could definitely hear the radio station coming from the walls of our house sometimes, e.g. even their station identification so there was no ambiguity. I assumed it was the house wiring (mostly knob and tube) acting as an antenna. I'm reasonably sure that was AM, though. Was the sound you heard like either of these? this video link
“once it's AM just about any energy conversion will do.”
Nonlinear conversion demodulates AM.
Slope conversion is the hard part, once it's AM just about any energy conversion will do. abs(x) and |x|^2 are plenty nonlinear. this video
