My name and associated misrepresentation appeared in an article by Will
Thomas in last week’s edition. The article raises the issue of EMI
(electromagnetic interference) and “dirty electricity”, which I aim to
bring more attention to here:
Poorly-designed (especially digital) electronics feed electrical noise
back into their power lines. It’s essential to understand that
electrical conductors are antennas; i.e. they both receive and broadcast
(unless they are shielded). Such is simply the nature of things, be they
man-made or of natural origin.
In contrast to other developed countries, residential electrical wiring
in Canada/USA is not shielded; hence, it broadcasts EMR (electromagnetic
radiation) 24/7/365 (a 60Hz sine wave at best) while also receiving EMI
from the increasingly electromagnetically polluted environment. Such EMI
is another cause of dirty electricity.
These are serious problems and that is why signal cables (for computers,
microphones, &c.) are shielded and often include “chokes” (the lumps
near each end of a cable). While optical fibre is superior to electrical
conductors in respect to EMR/EMI, the attached electronics may indeed
cause trouble.
Fortunately, these phenomena can be measured, and instead of blindly
trusting “The Science” or the market of dubious “solutions”, I urge
everyone to learn more about the simply demonstrable physics of the
world we inhabit.
Leif LeBaron
