I wonder how economic big bubble could be created around Tesla, a analouge to the IT-crash?
As an Electrical and RF Engineer myself, Tesla's like a personal hero, but I have to admit the guy crossed the line from genius to madness more than twice.
Not only did he have Howard Hughes level OCD and bizarre phobias and obsessions like nobody's business (he had an incapacitating earring phobia!), but eventually his "dreamland" views of the capabilities of power transmission left behind the laws of physics.
His "Wireless Power Transmission" idea, while cool in a Vacuum Zeppelin kind of way, was just not feasible. The wavelengths at that frequency require antenna aperatures on a near global scale for any sort of coupling efficiency. Modern RF power transmission ideas require conversion to microwave transmissions, which require tech not really practically developed until much after Tesla died, or require laser transmission. Even today with computer controls we're a way off from practical energy transmission.
His Death ray? Ditto. Not really practical and impossible to aim.
The "Genius Philanthropist and Good Socialist Saint Tesla Unduly Trampled by teh Evol Greedy Capitalist Edison" is a modern myth based more in modern political perceptions than in historical fact. Edison certainly took advantage of Tesla and then later tried to discredit him after Tesla quit (idiot move on Edison's part that seriously came back to haunt him), but others (like Westinghouse) more than made up for that and Tesla had ready sponsors, partners, and investors even up to the batshit end. If Tesla wanted to he could have been as big as Edison or Westinghouse in the electricity business, but he was a genius tinkerer, not a practical businessman, and never wanted to be otherwise.
While I love Tesla, I must say that once he started on the road beyond AC Power you're entering ASB territory.![]()
But Marconi was using Tesla's patents to begin with.
I'm an amateur radio operator. Let's say if we did try Tesla's ideas, it would also trash the RF spectrum with lots of QRM (manmade interference and static) thus making it useless for wireless communication.
As an Electrical and RF Engineer myself, Tesla's like a personal hero, but I have to admit the guy crossed the line from genius to madness more than twice.
Not only did he have Howard Hughes level OCD and bizarre phobias and obsessions like nobody's business (he had an incapacitating earring phobia!), but eventually his "dreamland" views of the capabilities of power transmission left behind the laws of physics.
His "Wireless Power Transmission" idea, while cool in a Vacuum Zeppelin kind of way, was just not feasible. The wavelengths at that frequency require antenna aperatures on a near global scale for any sort of coupling efficiency. Modern RF power transmission ideas require conversion to microwave transmissions, which require tech not really practically developed until much after Tesla died, or require laser transmission. Even today with computer controls we're a way off from practical energy transmission.
His Death ray? Ditto. Not really practical and impossible to aim.
The "Genius Philanthropist and Good Socialist Saint Tesla Unduly Trampled by teh Evol Greedy Capitalist Edison" is a modern myth based more in modern political perceptions than in historical fact. Edison certainly took advantage of Tesla and then later tried to discredit him after Tesla quit (idiot move on Edison's part that seriously came back to haunt him), but others (like Westinghouse) more than made up for that and Tesla had ready sponsors, partners, and investors even up to the batshit end. If Tesla wanted to he could have been as big as Edison or Westinghouse in the electricity business, but he was a genius tinkerer, not a practical businessman, and never wanted to be otherwise.
While I love Tesla, I must say that once he started on the road beyond AC Power you're entering ASB territory.![]()
I'm an amateur radio operator. Let's say if we did try Tesla's ideas, it would also trash the RF spectrum with lots of QRM (manmade interference and static) thus making it useless for wireless communication.
From your own personal expertise and what you know about Tesla's work, could he have developed a practical transistor at an earlier date than OTL if he'd applied himself to the concept of solid-state electronics instead of tinkering with the concepts that consumed his time and energy OTL?
From your own personal expertise and what you know about Tesla's work, could he have developed a practical transistor at an earlier date than OTL if he'd applied himself to the concept of solid-state electronics instead of tinkering with the concepts that consumed his time and energy OTL?
Considering Tesla basically invented wireless electronics that's like saying Lockheed and Northrop were using the Wrights' patents. Rather hard not to.
Still, Marconi really went into communications in a way Tesla never did. The man deserves due credit for what he did for technology.
Still, assuming a) that Tesla can bury his pride and b) both are able to actually work with someone else (hard to say with geniuses) they could have accomplished a lot.
Definitely the case. I actually specialize in EM interference (I'm currently a spectrum manager but used to do field EMI identification and mitigation). That'd be broadband noise from hell neatly bouncing about the ionosphere. While you could get around it if you knew to, it would seriously retard RF communications advancement. People might even assume for a long time that it isn't possible to communicate wirelessly!
From your own personal expertise and what you know about Tesla's work, could he have developed a practical transistor at an earlier date than OTL if he'd applied himself to the concept of solid-state electronics instead of tinkering with the concepts that consumed his time and energy OTL?
Good points, the advances in wireless electricity would have retarded radio communications greatly. Heck, there is a lot of QRM, manmade interference, already. Sometimes it makes shortwave listening a challenge. I know when you go above 100 Mc, the RF spectrum is less susceptible it interference so in an alternate history of Tesla, RF communications would have to wait until VHF/UHF communications were developed and they would be shorter range.