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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: Jeff Perrin <jperrin@*********.net>
Subject: Gridlink and Broadcast power (was Drone Ideas)
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 1996 17:37:43 -0400
Peter wrote:
> On the subject of microwave power "broadcast," I thought they had to
> be focused to arive at a specific reciever. In effect both the
> transmitter and reciever use parabolic type reflecter dishes.
> Without this type of equipment I would think the lost power would by
> far outweigh te benifits of this concept. Does anyone have more
> detailed info on this.

As I recall what I have seen and read on broadcast power is that a solar
satellite collects solar energy without the interferance of the
atmosphere. Then the power is transmittered with a tight microwave beam
to a receiving station. This energy solution will in theory provide
unlimited energy.

--
Luc aka BobW

EXCUSE ME! EXCUSE ME! EXCUSE ME!
BUT THE CORPSE STILL HAS THE FLOOR!!
--Kevin Spacey as Lloyd in The Ref (1994)
Message no. 2
From: "Mark Steedman" <M.J.Steedman@***.rgu.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: Gridlink and Broadcast power (was Drone Ideas)
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 1996 08:44:06 GMT
Jeff Perrin writes
>
> As I recall what I have seen and read on broadcast power is that a solar
> satellite collects solar energy without the interferance of the
> atmosphere. Then the power is transmittered with a tight microwave beam
> to a receiving station. This energy solution will in theory provide
> unlimited energy.
>
This is an idea that has been looked into. The collecotr if i
remember right is a sort of wire grid you spread out over a large
area, say from pylons hanging over farm fields and the like. The only
problems are the cost of the satellites and the fact that great farms
of collectors look very ugly, but in theory you have infinite power.
Also you might have to be somewhat careful about exposure of people
to the collector areas when they are on, microwaves will cook you
nicely and this system needs a reasonable power density if you want
some space not under collector grids.

A long way from being done but.

Mark
Message no. 3
From: "Gurth" <gurth@******.nl>
Subject: Re: Gridlink and Broadcast power (was Drone Ideas)
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 1996 11:02:23 +0100
Jeff Perrin said on 17:37/13 Jun 96...

> As I recall what I have seen and read on broadcast power is that a solar
> satellite collects solar energy without the interferance of the
> atmosphere. Then the power is transmittered with a tight microwave beam
> to a receiving station. This energy solution will in theory provide
> unlimited energy.

Until someone starts talking about health hazards, environmental
pollution, and all kinds of other bullshit that seems to be aimed at
stopping almost any solution to almost any problem these days.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
You can blow out a candle, but you can't blow out a fire
-> NERPS Project Leader & Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
-> The Character Mortuary: http://huizen.dds.nl/~mortuary/mortuary.html <-

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Message no. 4
From: "Paolo (2) Falco" <Falco@****.it>
Subject: Re: Gridlink and Broadcast power (was Drone Ideas)
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 1996 21:14:16 +0000
On 13 Jun 96, Jeff Perrin wrote:

> As I recall what I have seen and read on broadcast power is
> that a solar satellite collects solar energy without the
> interferance of the atmosphere. Then the power is
> transmittered with a tight microwave beam to a receiving
> station. This energy solution will in theory provide
> unlimited energy.

In theory. From what I know, the problem is that a microwave
packet that misses its collector (and orbital decay is quite a
common thing!), could probably have an effect similar to a big
bomb. I know that one of the biggest problems at CERN (Eurpean
Centre for Nuclear Research), where they use particle beams at
energies similar to those that would be involved in a microwave
packet, is losing the accelerator beam. It never happened, but
that is the reason why they do it all underground.

Safety is the main reason (apart from cost) that really keeps
people from trying it, AFAIK. Ah, and no, energy wouldn't
stricltly be unlimited. You would just have a limited energy for
an unlimited time.

However, microwave packet satellites make for good targets for
orbital saboteurs! (Idea? Spoiler?)

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Further Reading

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