"This video of so called �plasma radio� is popular lately on Russian blogs. The shown effect is very cool. Here is a short story to understand it:
Location: Brovary town, Russia.
Transmitter output: 150 kW
Also used: old Soviet antennas, 90 meteres (280 ft) long cable.
That�s all what you need for UNSAFE experiments to receive radio waves.
In the area of the effect of radio waves very big potential difference emerges. Because of the modulation of the radio signal the electical spark arc starts vibrating with the human voice and begins to �speak�.
The intensity of current in such �radio� can reach hundreds of ampers and it easily can molt metals.
Such electricity doesn�t have any barriers, it can come through the thick tree.
I'm skeptical that there isn't a speaker involved somewhere. Maybe I don't understand analog waves as well as I should, but this is damned interesting if I am wrong in believing there's some sort of amplifier aside from fire and air.
Freakin sweet, I would love to attempt this, although not only do I fear for my own safety, but my camera is busted, thus preventing me from showing my awesome potential demise on you-tube.
The coils in the tuning huts at the base of AM transmitters "sing", but they are coils so it's understandable. Still unsettling the first time you are in a hut.
It's unsafe to touch anything metal anywhere near the base of an AM tower because you will get burned by it. Necklaces and the like should be removed before getting near one, smaller bits are usually okay though. Light switches and sockets in metal boxes and metal latches are to be feared and respected at all times. Doorknobs seem to be safe though, small and not grounded to anything. At 150 kw that may no longer be true.
If you have any large tatoos you will get burned where ever you have them because apparantly there is metal in the dye or something. I am guessing smaller tats are probably fine, I don't have any so I can't comment or experiment though.
An AM tower will conduct enough RF energy from surrounding AM signals that you can get injured even if the local transmitter is turned off. You can get RF to arc across a cm or so from the transmission line when all of your shit is turned off.
Mosquitos are attracted to the RF or something... at the base of a tower is a lightening arrest system called "Johnny balls".. Basically two balls set a certain distance apart to allow lightning a path to ground without shorting the tower. Mosquitos collect in the space between them, and once they reach critical mass the tower shorts out quickly, vaporizing the mosquitos. You can hear this happen on the air as a very quick burst of static if there are mosquitos around in large enough quantities.
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