# Broadcast power

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broadcast-power/517164>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [November 11, 2009, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broadcast-power/517164 "2009-11-11T09:38:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broadcast-power/517164/21 "2009-11-15T15:21:51Z")

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And in addition to the original column, the OP wrote "Obviously, this is not a 26 mile run, but maybe thats also plausible. " so that also was about extrapolating to long-distance broadcast power.

That’s what all the threads I linked to above were about as well. People want Tesla to have been right and get testy when they are shown that he’s not even theoretically in the ballpark.

It’s the old “I believe in a single maverick scientist knowing more than all the rest of science combined” nonsense that is so prevalent in gullible society and even exists here on the Board despite all the knowledgeable experts who keep shooting that down.

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**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broadcast-power/517164/22 "2009-11-15T22:29:22Z")

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**Alex\_Dubinsky** said:

> [@](#):
>
> No, that’s what you _want_ the definition of “broadcast power” to be, so that you could be unequivocally right.
> 
> Clearly, you want to maximize the claim as much as possible (and refute any possibility of the claim being more modest), so you could feel more certain in pouring shit on it.

Wow, you are so sure you know my mind, why don’t you turn that razor sharp acumen to something more useful, like reading lotto numbers. You’re full of shit. Stop putting words in my mouth.

> [@](#):
>
> The word “broadcast” implies neither kilowatts or miles. Granted, it implies something more than a TV that’s hanging a foot from its power source, but it could mean broadcasting across a room or a building, or broadcasting a small amount of power for cellphones. All exciting scenarios.

I will happily agree with you that limited transfer of power in small scale is exciting and useful. But the topic of “broadcast power” was talking about Tesla’s inventions and ideas, and Tesla was all about large scale over vast distances. He wanted to build a power distribution grid as an alterative to AC power with wires and cables going everywhere by dumping DC into the air.

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