Well don't run off sounding like that! I find your input valuable. In any case, be safe with that radio project!
RFB
In the midst of all this entertaining serious banter going on while your leader is refusing his rank, there was some fascinating little tidbits drifting in and out of this topic.. and several comments made would cause a ponderation or two in my mind; which I would relay to you if I could remember what I was thinking... such random ponderations tend to pop back out of existence as quickly as they pop in sometimes..
Hmmm.. I was going to say something..
Damn!.. now I have to say something.. uh...
This can be an answer to RFBs question of "Where did the discussion of EAS go?".. I suppose it started following the random ponderations around.
Ok, a few post up there were some discussion of where would the juice to power transmissions come from in the event of massive solar flares wiping out power grids (as those recent C2C shows have been emphasizing).. and someone determined transmitter power might be sourced from solar arrays.. --And this made me ponder; But what damage might solar flares do to solar arrays, could it wipe them out as well?
And there was another important ponderation - but I forgot what it was.
Sometimes it's just better not to post at all.
Interesting question "what would flare do to solar panels." I will enjoy someone's response to that.
Other aspects of a solar flare that I think I do know about include the problem of coils being terminally overloaded as the power from the flare resonates them way beyond saturation until they burn up. Motors, transformers, inductors, are all forms of coiled wire. Further trouble gets spread down wires during the coil saturation as all these coils become power generators or repeaters and shoot a huge burst of voltage down the line, burning up everything in the path. This process is the hellish opposite of low power radio; it is total power radio, and wipes out the receivers.
I would guess that static would make listening to the radio band pointless, except that the radio will be a pool of smoking goo.
All of this assumes we humans will be there for the experience.
"what would flare do to solar panels." I will enjoy someone's response to that.
Well lets see if this one can rank up there with all the rest of the enjoyable answers/banters.
Solar panels work by transforming light energy to electricity. Unless the Sun also shoots intense bright light wavelengths at us and we have to wear welding goggles at night....the most that would happen is the solar panel might spit out a bit more juice. Other than that...nada.
RFB
From what you're saying about solar panels, RFBurns, solar electricity might be the recovery defense against a flare, IF (I'm supposing) the rest of the panel installation can also be kept in a "safe mode," whatever that would be, i.e., no coil-type components to capture the solar impulse.
See if you can describe a (probably) safe solar panel installation that would be immune to a big solar flare.
...IF (I'm supposing) the rest of the panel installation can also be kept in a "safe mode," whatever that would be, i.e., no coil-type components to capture the solar impulse.
That's exactly along the lines as what I was thinking Carl.
But the equipment aside, here's another one; what about us?
In a recent C2C show the statement was made that "The brain puts out about 25 watts of energy while it's just sitting there.."
And from an online source somewhere , (not making any reference about solar flares).. The inside and outside of most of our cells are bathed with fluid containing positively and negatively charged ions. Using complex biological ‘pumps’, the cell’s machinery is able to transport positively charged ions through the (semi) permeable membrane, with the end result being that there is a slight excess of negatively charged ones inside. This means there will be an electric potential across the membrane, so that the inside and outside are like the positive and negative poles on a battery, i.e. it is polarized...
If a solar flare can fry electrical equipment widespread, kind of makes one wonder what it might do to our inner "electrical systems".
Maybe we'll find out why you are named POWERS.
The radio talk people said the last really big flare on record was about 1856, but they never talked about human exposure. That is a major question you raise as to what harm might befall US. Tin foil hats might have their place.
I admire kk7cw's refusal to be our leader. It has been a maxim for millenia that a leadership position should be given only to the one who who doesn't want it. For a real historical example of a truly reluctant leader, see "Life of Phocion," in Plutarch's "Lives." Plutarch (40-120 AD) was a great Greek historian and biographer who wrote about many of the famous classical Greeks and Romans.
During the modern ceremony for the ordination of a bishop, the candidate must say that he does not want to be a bishop. Of course, this refusal is purely ceremonial and not at all sincere. However, I think that kk7cw, like Phocion, is sincere, and we should therefore make him our leader.
See if you can describe a (probably) safe solar panel installation that would be immune to a big solar flare.
Well honestly if there were such a big solar flare to erupt the last thing I would be concerned about is protecting a solar panel. I would be more worried about the magnetosphere and will it be strong enough to deflect those X-Rays and Gamma Rays so we all don't flash cook from the inside out.
But for the adventurous...I would say that a typical solar panel would probably have to be modified with a 2nd enclosure incorporating some sort of cooling system to keep the panel elements themselves from getting too hot.
Most think that heat is what makes solar panels work. WRONG! It is light and the amount of light intensity that makes them work. Heat actually deteriorates the elements and makes them produce less energy because the material structures inside the elements begin to break down, as well as the very delecate connections between each element in a solar panel array.
Probably could also add a second layer of protection with UV sensitive glass..much like the sunglasses that change from indoors to outdoors, but with just enough change to provide protection by blocking out the damaging X and G radiations but allow the light wavelengths to still pass through.
Then I would add hefty voltage regulation and disconnect interlocks so that if while during the flares there are surges of light wavelength intensity, whatever the panel is powering wont get surged as well.
Might also want to have good protection for the wiring. As we all know, pass magnetic fields over a wire it will cause the electrons to move..ie make electricity and we certainly do not want flashing of any magnetic fluxes from those flares to surge the wiring and make them become hot, then melt then cause a short and POOF!
Just a few ideas there...nothing spectacular.
RFB
Sounds cool RF, I saw your ad on it:
LOL! That is great! No license required! Part 15 compatible and conforms to the 3 meter rule!
You get a 10 percent commission on every sale!
Starting price for a basic panel...2.3 Billion Ameros
Custom panel...4 Billion Ameros
Super Dooper UV Doopler Ganger...PRICELESS!!!
Credit Cards Not Accepted.
😀
RFB
Thought you might like that. The " "..some sort of cooling system.." comment influenced me!
.. and now that you mention it, you do sorta look like George!
Plastic surgery does wonders. I dunno about the effects of solar flare...my doctor cannot give me a straight answer! 😉
RFB
Oh, just one more thing in reference to solar panels before you all drift back on to the original topic of EAS...
This short little story is true...
A guy with a solar panel fetish takes two of them home, gets them in bed, turns out the light, and nothing happens.
ROFLMAO!!!! Oh man....the things that flash across forum boards never ceases to amaze me..or crack me up!! LOL!!!!!
RFB