[sdiy] generators/antennas analogy?

[harry]

Is this an 'urban legend' ???

There are some people who have gotten "free' power by receiving RF
stations from VERY close up... now that might make a little dent but I
doubt that anyone could judge "listenership" from plate current etc...

H^) harry

Lincoln Fong wrote:

> Whilst I am familiar with the idea of 'back emf' in a generator there is
> something I have never understood which Im sure someone can clear up.
>
> I once heard that Radio and TV stations can judge audience figures by the
> amount of power 'absorbed' ie the Watts or MWatts they have to pump out. On
> one level this makes sense. A popular station would need only the weakest of
> transmitters if this were not so. But can the resonance of millions of tuned
> circuits really indicate power usage that accurately? And if not then how do
> they judge audience figures? I don't really buy the argument that grid power
> usage can accurately reflect these things when so many programmes start at
> exactly the same time.
>
> Lincoln