After I stumbled across some of the old RF-powered circuitry and radio info,
I just had to play a little...

I set up a 3-4 meter wire around a room, and connected another wire to
ground.
Then I made myself a little 4-way rectifier with 4 small-signal diodes.  I
connected the outputs to a capacitor and the inputs to the two wires.

Later I found out I needed something to connect to the capacitor, and
decided on a push-button and a led with series resistor.  After soldering
wires to the cap in one end, i took a bite of the other end to get the
insulation off.   I got a bit baffled because it really hurt!!!  I got
shocked!  Pulling out my trusted DVM I measured 78 volts across the
capacitor.  No wonder it hurt!

So, now the fun begun.  I could wair 30 secos to a minute, then push the
button and the led would blink.
Again and again...  This kept me happy four about half an hour :-)))

I know the theory and such behind this, but I was wondering if someone has
made something useful with such a contraption?  Like powering a pic and a
temp-logger in some far away place and then go back to it and collect it to
look at the readings...  It could be left alone for very long because it
would get power from a solid-state solution.

Oh'well.  I'm going to the attic to rummage in my junk-pile.  I think I have
some old "glimm-lights" or whatever they are called.  Those that look like
two drumsticks in a glass bulb.  You put enough current on them and they
suddently light up like a fluorecent tube.  If you don't have a series
resistor on them they can really go off with a bang...  Maby I can even get
my cold cathode to light up or blink with this ???

We all need to play a bit once in a while, between playing!

    KreAture

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