use microwave oven as high powered transmitter.

[[email protected]]

I was sitting around thinking the other day. (I sometimes do this when
I have a few extra minutes), and it occurred to me that there is a
very powerful source of RF energy sitting in most of our kitchens. Our
microwave oven. Now theororetically speaking (of course), if the
magnetron was properly connected to a waveguide and this energy was
directed to a suitable parabolic antenna we would have a very high
powered 2400 MHZ CW transmitter. To further the project, I don't
believe there is a screen grid on a mag so if one was enterprising
enough could plate modulation be added to this? I'm sure FCC approval
would be no problem at all....
Lenny Stein, Barlen Electronics.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

McGyver Death-Ray I'm thinkin'....

 

[mike]

I was sitting around thinking the other day. (I sometimes do this when
I have a few extra minutes), and it occurred to me that there is a
very powerful source of RF energy sitting in most of our kitchens. Our
microwave oven. Now theororetically speaking (of course), if the
magnetron was properly connected to a waveguide and this energy was
directed to a suitable parabolic antenna we would have a very high
powered 2400 MHZ CW transmitter. To further the project, I don't
believe there is a screen grid on a mag so if one was enterprising
enough could plate modulation be added to this? I'm sure FCC approval
would be no problem at all....
Lenny Stein, Barlen Electronics.

It's already well modulated at 60 Hz. at least in these parts.

 

[JANA]

The magnetron would be a very crude type of emitter.

In theory a high power microwave transmitter can be built with a magnetron.
It would have to be properly tuned to the antenna. Being a crude magnetron,
it would be very high on harmonics to begin with. I would doubt that this
type of transmitter would have any approval by the FCC.

Today's radar systems use very refined tubes such as a TWT or Klystron with
proper tuning and control. There are new technology radar systems that are
working with solid state high power devices rather than tubes. They work at
a much lower base power than the magnetron from a microwave oven.

As for pointing such a high power transmitter at anything, it would be
lethal.

A point of interest is that there is some research going on to be able to
make a solid state microwave oven. Getting the high power levels required
for food cooking using solid state devices at a reasonable cost, is what is
being researched.


--

JANA
_____


I was sitting around thinking the other day. (I sometimes do this when
I have a few extra minutes), and it occurred to me that there is a
very powerful source of RF energy sitting in most of our kitchens. Our
microwave oven. Now theororetically speaking (of course), if the
magnetron was properly connected to a waveguide and this energy was
directed to a suitable parabolic antenna we would have a very high
powered 2400 MHZ CW transmitter. To further the project, I don't
believe there is a screen grid on a mag so if one was enterprising
enough could plate modulation be added to this? I'm sure FCC approval
would be no problem at all....
Lenny Stein, Barlen Electronics.

 

[[email protected]]

I was sitting around thinking the other day. (I sometimes do this when
I have a few extra minutes), and it occurred to me that there is a
very powerful source of RF energy sitting in most of our kitchens. Our
microwave oven. Now theororetically speaking (of course), if the
magnetron was properly connected to a waveguide and this energy was
directed to a suitable parabolic antenna we would have a very high
powered 2400 MHZ CW transmitter. To further the project, I don't
believe there is a screen grid on a mag so if one was enterprising
enough could plate modulation be added to this? I'm sure FCC approval
would be no problem at all....
Lenny Stein, Barlen Electronics.

What possible use is this?


NT

 

[Sam Goldwasser]

It's already well modulated at 60 Hz. at least in these parts.

Little information content.

You would have to modify the power supply to produce HV DC and then
modulate that.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.

 

[Bill Janssen]

Little information content.

You would have to modify the power supply to produce HV DC and then
modulate that.

--- sam

Or filter the existing power supply to get DC and build a pulse
generator to get short pulses at a high frequency (> 10 KHz) and FM
modulate the pulse generator.

Bill K7NOM

 

[Sam Goldwasser]

Or filter the existing power supply to get DC and build a pulse
generator to get short pulses at a high frequency (> 10 KHz) and FM
modulate the pulse generator.

The way they are designed, you can't simply tack on a filter capacitor.
The existing parts could be rearranged into a half wave rectified and
filter supply at perhaps 2 kV. To reach the 4 kV or so peak of the
typical oven, would require another HV diode and HV cap. But it's a bit
more hassle because the normal microwave oven has the HV transformer,
HV capacitor, and magnetron with one side connected to the chssis.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.

 

[James Sweet]

The way they are designed, you can't simply tack on a filter capacitor.
The existing parts could be rearranged into a half wave rectified and
filter supply at perhaps 2 kV. To reach the 4 kV or so peak of the
typical oven, would require another HV diode and HV cap. But it's a bit
more hassle because the normal microwave oven has the HV transformer,
HV capacitor, and magnetron with one side connected to the chssis.

The ones I've dealt with have two terminals on the capacitor, I don't
recall seeing any polarizing markings. You're right about the
transformer and magnetron though.

 

[Sam Goldwasser]

The ones I've dealt with have two terminals on the capacitor, I don't
recall seeing any polarizing markings. You're right about the
transformer and magnetron though.

Yeah, that has to be correct. Neither end of the cap is normally grounded.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name AND either lasers or electronics is included in the
subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.

 

[Andy Dingley]

Little information content.

It decodes to "The USA is the dominant technology state on this
planet, compared to the 50Hz heretic perverts of Europe"

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

I was sitting around thinking the other day. (I sometimes do this when
I have a few extra minutes), and it occurred to me that there is a
very powerful source of RF energy sitting in most of our kitchens. Our
microwave oven. Now theororetically speaking (of course), if the
magnetron was properly connected to a waveguide and this energy was
directed to a suitable parabolic antenna we would have a very high
powered 2400 MHZ CW transmitter. To further the project, I don't
believe there is a screen grid on a mag so if one was enterprising
enough could plate modulation be added to this? I'm sure FCC approval
would be no problem at all....
Lenny Stein, Barlen Electronics.

It was done, about 20 years ago by a ham radio operator. There was
an article published in one of the ham radio magazines about it.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

It decodes to "The USA is the dominant technology state on this
planet, compared to the 50Hz heretic perverts of Europe"

Its not their fault that their leaders can't get up to full speed.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[Ancient_Hacker]

I was sitting around thinking the other day. (I sometimes do this when
I have a few extra minutes), and it occurred to me that there is a
very powerful source of RF energy sitting in most of our kitchens. Our
microwave oven. Now theororetically speaking (of course), if the
magnetron was properly connected to a waveguide and this energy was
directed to a suitable parabolic antenna we would have a very high
powered 2400 MHZ CW transmitter. T

I think it's been done by hams, many years ago. With a tube in series
with the HV to modulate the plate voltage.

Unfortunately the magnetron isnt too stable, frequency-wise. So with
varying plate voltage you get both AM and FM.

And too wide a bandwidth for moon-bounce, I'd guess.

 

[Jack]

I was sitting around thinking the other day. (I sometimes do this when
I have a few extra minutes), and it occurred to me that there is a
very powerful source of RF energy sitting in most of our kitchens. Our
microwave oven. Now theororetically speaking (of course), if the
magnetron was properly connected to a waveguide and this energy was
directed to a suitable parabolic antenna we would have a very high
powered 2400 MHZ CW transmitter. To further the project, I don't
believe there is a screen grid on a mag so if one was enterprising
enough could plate modulation be added to this? I'm sure FCC approval
would be no problem at all....
Lenny Stein, Barlen Electronics.

With an appropriately pointed dish you could update motorists speed on
speed camera RADAR. Sounds good to me, besides making the camera
operator go a little blind.
The alternative is that you should cook the primary detection circuit
on the device, cooking its goose so to say.
Modulation could be a problem...