SPAWAR Systems developed this sea water antenna that uses a jet of water and current probe instead of a metal pole as a transmitting element. I don’t doubt that it works, howver I’m skeptical about how practical the idea is — you’ll need to have a beefy energy source to run a pump, and turbulent weather seems like it would be an issue. Still, the idea of a fluid-based antenna seems great, and might provide for lots of other interesting applications. How about a water fountain Theremin? [Thanks, Matt!]
14 thoughts on “An antenna made from sea water”
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Guess this would only work on radios with… (puts on sunglasses) liquid crystal displays. (YEAAAAAAA!!!!!!)
Next up: the seawater Jacob’s Ladder.
Inject various salts to create colors!
combine with a Laminar Water Jet seen here:
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/07/how_to_laminar_water_jet.html
The idea of seawater radio antenna is not novel. I recall seeing it, as an illustration of invention process, in a column (based on a book) in a science-popularization magazine back in the eighties.
Practicality is in the eye of the beholder. A working saltwater antenna could be very useful aboard a submarine, where pumping water is no problem. Unlike a metal antenna, it would extend and retract instantly while remaining invisible to radar.
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Sounds like a really interesting idea, possibly one of those ideas that’s so obvious no one thought of it before.