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Google Building a 100kW Transmitter at Spaceport America (hackaday.com)

Posted by timothy on from the well-where-do-you-keep-yours? dept.

szczys writes: Google is building a 100kW transmitter at Spaceport America. As is becoming the regular source of early info, this comes via an FCC filing in which Google has asked the agency to keep the project secret. The signal strength itself isn't [groundbreaking] until you learn this is a directional antenna. Some of the most powerful FM radio transmitters get to 100kW, but those are omnidirectional. This is a highly focused directional antenna and that makes it sound like a big piece of Google's hushed Broadband Drone program.

3 of 75 comments (clear)

  1. No, HALF a watt. by jeffb+(2.718) · · Score: 5, Informative

    According to TFA, the highly directional antenna gives a peak effective power of 96kW along its lobe, but total radiated power is 500mW -- half a watt. So the comparison to "powerful FM radio transmitters" is kind of silly. In fact, it's even sillier than that, because FM broadcasts (at least here in the US) are around 100MHz, and this transmitter will be in the range of 70-80GHz, with completely different propagation characteristics.

    1. Re:No, HALF a watt. by Adriax · · Score: 5, Funny

      Google Eye of Sauron.

      --
      I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!
  2. Tinfoil hat by 110010001000 · · Score: 5, Funny

    And you guys made fun of my tinfoil hat! Who is laughing now???