Re: TC Secondary Currents - was ( Experimental Help - Terry?)

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Dave Larkin by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <teslaman15-at-hotmail-dot-com>

Hi Paul, Richard, Terry, All,

I have been following this intertwined bundle of threads, a rope if you 
will, for a while now and I have to say that it has given me a new 
appreciation for what a diffcult job moderating this list must be.

The whole 'longitudinal wave' topic is a tricky call for the moderator, 
stamping down hard on it risks the charge of intellectual fascim, while 
letting it run and run can only damage the discussion of 'real' issues and 
effects.  While I take the point that it may be better to allow some 
discussion of way out ideas, if only to allow them to be thoroughly refuted 
and their proponents to realise the 'error of their ways', I think we all 
have personal experience of those cranks who will never be convinced of the 
falacy of their views, no matter how much reasoned and rational argument or 
evidence can be produced to the contrary.
The examples, cited by some, of 'little guys' who changed our understanding 
of physics are entirely misplaced here.  Aside from the obvious distinction 
(their theories where right) they advanced the extent of physical knowledge, 
they explained something which could not be explained by conventional 
theories.  The fall of quarter wave theory was a minor example of that, 
lumped element theory may be (in the words of ken corum) 'a naive swindle' 
but it also happens to make rather more accurate predictions than the 
transmission line theory espoused by so many.  'Longitudinal wave' theory, 
as far as I can see, explains nothing we can't explain already.

Tesla coiling, despite the great amount of activity evidently dedicated to 
it by some, is fundamentally a fairly simple endeavour as engineering 
problems go.  The physics (except probably that of the actual output arc) 
are all old, no physical law significantly affecting the modelling of a 
Tesla coil has been substantially refuted in the last 70 years.  Sure a lot 
of progress in optimising these systems for spark production has been made 
in the last 10-15 years, but not due to any new science, just an increase in 
interest in these arcane devices, due in no small part to the internet and 
the work of a highly few talented experimentalists.

For those who want to revolutionize our understanding of the physical world, 
there are peer reviewed publications subscribed to by universities staffed 
by thousands of highly intelligent, highly trained theorists and 
experimentalists all on the trail of the 'next big thing'.  For those who 
want to build better and more efficient Tesla coils there is Chip's 
excellent mailing list.

Dave

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