# What Would Happen to Me Physically if I Climbed to the Top of a Radio Tower? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 29, 2004, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-to-me-physically-if-i-climbed-to-the-top-of-a-radio-tower/277232 "2004-11-29T23:10:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-to-me-physically-if-i-climbed-to-the-top-of-a-radio-tower/277232/41 "2004-12-01T07:03:05Z")
You been set up, mate. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-to-me-physically-if-i-climbed-to-the-top-of-a-radio-tower/277232/42 "2004-12-01T12:56:07Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Jesus. You could skewer an ostrich on one of the elements an cook it in no time. NO. NO! NO! Not an ostrich. It’s a TURKEY! One micro second at umpteen MW. Just in time for the holidays! ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-to-me-physically-if-i-climbed-to-the-top-of-a-radio-tower/277232/43 "2004-12-01T15:45:50Z")
I’ve been unsuccessful in my attempt to find that picture taken beneath the Cuban jamming tower, the one where a guy is holding a fluorescent lightbulb/tube, and it’s glowing like a lightsabre, even though it’s not plugged in. Just out of curiosity, would hanging around even that close to something that can pump your immediate environment up with what must be a fair amount of r.f. energy be a Bad Idea as well? ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-to-me-physically-if-i-climbed-to-the-top-of-a-radio-tower/277232/44 "2004-12-01T16:24:26Z")
> [@Loopydude](#): > > I’ve been unsuccessful in my attempt to find that picture taken beneath the Cuban jamming tower, the one where a guy is holding a fluorescent lightbulb/tube, and it’s glowing like a lightsabre, even though it’s not plugged in. > > Just out of curiosity, would hanging around even that close to something that can pump your immediate environment up with what must be a fair amount of r.f. energy be a Bad Idea as well? I do know that some **cow orkers** of mine who did some testing at a facility that tested RF susceptibility of ordnance gear complained of feeling exhaused after the day’s tests. It could have been psychosomatic or tension resulting from knowing of their exposure to high levels of RF, or it could have been the physiological result of the RF. The tests were made over 30 years ago and as far as I know none of them has suffered any after-effects attributable to the exposure. ---
**Author:** ![alimarx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@alimarx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alimarx)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-to-me-physically-if-i-climbed-to-the-top-of-a-radio-tower/277232/45 "2004-12-01T16:55:17Z")
> [@SavageNarce](#): > > - I used to make receivers out of a razor blade, thumbtacks and a paperclip that would receive a signal, audible through headphones. Please, MacGuyver, have you any schematics for this? I’ve just _got_ to know how this is done. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-to-me-physically-if-i-climbed-to-the-top-of-a-radio-tower/277232/46 "2004-12-01T17:09:44Z")
> [@alimarx](#): > > Please, MacGuyver, have you any schematics for this? I’ve just _got_ to know how this is done. [Foxhole radio](http://kg8ih.cit.cwru.edu/w8edu/projects/foxhole.html). Basically, the razor blade and a thumbtack together form a point-contact diode. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-to-me-physically-if-i-climbed-to-the-top-of-a-radio-tower/277232/47 "2004-12-01T19:51:42Z")
> [@alimarx](#): > > Please, MacGuyver, have you any schematics for this? I’ve just _got_ to know how this is done. Any non-linear conductor will detect an AM signal. If the device conducts better for voltages of one polarity than for the other, an applied amplitude modulated signal will develop a direct current (_i.e._ always the same polarity) that varies in magnitude just like the modulation on the signal. Add to this something that will vibrate in response to the varying dc current and you have a receiver complete with audible output. Fillings in teeth, eyeglass frames, etc., etc. have all been the cause of people hearing AM radio when close to a transmitter. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-to-me-physically-if-i-climbed-to-the-top-of-a-radio-tower/277232/48 "2004-12-02T00:14:04Z")
Am I the only one who thought: “it would be really loud” ?? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-to-me-physically-if-i-climbed-to-the-top-of-a-radio-tower/277232/49 "2004-12-02T01:05:14Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > Any non-linear conductor will detect an AM signal. If the device conducts better for voltages of one polarity than for the other, an applied amplitude modulated signal will develop a direct current (_i.e._ always the same polarity) that varies in magnitude just like the modulation on the signal. Add to this something that will vibrate in response to the varying dc current and you have a receiver complete with audible output. Fillings in teeth, eyeglass frames, etc., etc. have all been the cause of people hearing AM radio when close to a transmitter. And thus we have the minimum possible AM receiver, in terms of materials cost and expertise needed in its construction. What is the minimum possible FM receiver? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-to-me-physically-if-i-climbed-to-the-top-of-a-radio-tower/277232.md?page=2)