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Forum Index : Electronics : Smart Meters, Good or Bad
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| VK4AYQ Guru  Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi All I have been following the smart meter debate in the USA with interest but my expertise is limited in this field, over there is a lot of concern with the RF output of these devices causing human health problems. http://www.devvy.com/new_site/smart-meter-081511.html The only complaints I hear in Australia is erratic billing and the power to use them to maximise profits for the utility companies. After a problem with a mobile phone causing me health issues this issue if of concern to me and I believe to all of us. Also is the issue of RF pollution by our devices in the home and office such as wiFi networks and other transmitting devices we take for granted, I have seen the effects of high power RF brain damage on older Ham radio operators and wonder if we are heading down this track with out wizz bang devices. Any comments from people with knowledge in the field? All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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| Dubyagee Newbie  Joined: 15/06/2007 Location: United StatesPosts: 21 |
It amazes me how the same crap is happening everywhere. Here in the states most politicians couldn't organize a two camel caravan but smart meter legislation/installation goes through like a breeze through a open window. I have one on my house. Haven't seen a bill with the new meter yet. They showed up unannounced while I was at work and installed it. We'll see. Regards, Dubyagee |
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| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi All I spoke to the meter reader man and he told me that he needs to within 30 feet of the meter to get an accurate measurement on his hand held receiver and that his hand held transmitter needs to be in a good signal area to transmit data back to base but he had no idea on how much power it generates for the transmission. All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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| Warpspeed Guru Joined: 09/08/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 4406 |
Bob, my understanding is that there are several very different versions of these "smart meters". The type we are most likely to get here are the very basic version, where the meter reader stands outside on the footpath with his hand held magic box, and "pings" your meter to take a reading once every three months. All the global commands to switch off non essential loads are done via tone signalling over the mains. All this has minimal RF fields associated with it and only for very brief single burst transmissions. The American system is vastly more evil !!!! They don't use human meter readers. Every meter is continually sending and receiving data from all the other meters in the vacinity, forming a VAST communications network. The information from your meter finds it's way back to the utility by hopping from one meter to the next, over possibly huge distances. These meters are like mobile telephone towers, constantly transmitting digital data at power levels high enough to be a worry. So while panic may be justified for the smart meter network, it is not really justified for smart meters that are read individually by a human meter reader. I am guessing though, that the simple system will only be used for a short time, until enough smart meters have been installed, and then swap over to the much more dangerous network system can be used, and the human meter readers eliminated. So it may be an idea to get really mad and resist this, even though in the initial stages it it probably all quite harmless. Cheers, Tony. |
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| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Tony I note on my bill a service fee of $28 I presume this is a meter reading fee as they do not do anything else much, so if they where to automate the system and still charge the fee it would be a nice windfall for them. I think the fight is lost the only other thing is to tell them to get lost and be independent. All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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