Can I *partially* shield a smart meter (so it still works)?

> **
>
>
> > They do NOT operate omni-directionally.
>
> What is your source for this information, Lizzie? With
> a simple Google search, I can find Smart Meter manufacturer
> websites that describe them as omni-directional. And that
> is the only thing would make any sense from a technical
> point of view.
>
> > Smart meters are 100 times MORE POWERFUL then cell phones.
>
> Well, according to one person, at least. Could be less,
> could be more... also, I think that 100x number assumes
> that you spend all of your life within 3 feet of a smart
> meter.
>
> Marc
>
>  
>

> To: [hidden email]; [hidden email]
> From: [hidden email]
> Date: Sat, 25 Jun 2011 12:15:59 -0400
> Subject: Re: [eSens] Can I *partially* shield a smart meter (so it still works)?
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> Good to see some lively discussion, even if we don't all agree on
> everything. ;)
>
> Now, what I can say, at least from having stood for a few minutes with my RF
> meter in hand by where my trailer is parked on this property, is that I was
> not picking up pulses from the smart meter(s) every second or numerous times
> per minute. I think that there are different types of smart meters, and not
> all of them send a signal the same number of times per minute/hour/day.
>
> So, Stewart, are you saying that if I stood to the *side* of a smart meter
> and picked up its transmitting pulse with my RF meter, that would indicate
> that it's omnidirectional?
>
> I'm not talking about wrapping these things in foil (tempting though that
> sounds); I'm talking about maybe sticking a piece of clearshield on the
> front of them, or putting a square of sheet metal on a post some distance
> away from whichever part of the smart meter is pointed toward where my
> trailer is, to bounce back some of the RF.
>
> I haven't run thorough tests on the ones on this property yet; what I've
> said are my preliminary observations.
>
> I have to weigh it like this: In this house, there is virtually no to very
> little cell phone tower noise, even with my most sensitive meter. Yet, once
> I walk/bike/drive into town (these are the suburbs), there are plenty of
> towers, shops have WiFi networks, and you can't walk by ten people without
> seeing at least one yakking on their cellphone. Additionally, every house
> in this town has an active smart meter. That's over forty thousand smart
> meters. The one on this house is closer to my bedroom than the two on this
> rural property would be to my trailer.
>
> Conversely, this rural property has two smart meters 175-200 feet away from
> my trailer. Perhaps they can be partially shielded as I described above
> without impeding their function. My trailer is also, in essence, a shielded
> box. This property does receive the internet wirelessly, but anyone who's
> seen my previous message, and Stewart's reply, will see that it's possible
> that the signal they receive is fairly weak and line-of-sight, high up,
> since the RF meters don't pick it up ambiently out of proximity to the
> outdoor receiving modem.
>
> *Optional reading for those who simply wish to reply to the above follows
> below:*
>
> Both places have their pros and cons. I am still wary of this other
> property, but then again - is my current location a perfect spot, either?
> Not truly. Maybe the countryside will do me good. It's *so* quiet there;
> you wouldn't believe how many birds there are on this gorgeous property.* *No
> traffic noise, no construction.
>
> As for going off grid and electrical dirt, etc.: I run the trailer off
> batteries, but I don't have a solar setup. I need AC power to charge the
> batteries. The charger I have generates some AM radio noise at the source
> (the charger), but that doesn't seem to carry at all into the trailer. It
> drops off fast. Looking inside the charger, it appears to be a simple
> linear transformer, not one of these "intelligent", high-noise switching
> chargers.
>
> I also need to be able to use my computer in the trailer (it's a modified,
> lower EMF, fanless, solid state computer with a modified monitor). I would
> run ethernet cable from the property owners office space. I need 'net
> access to do the bit of online work I can do. So, I need AC power from an
> outdoor outlet near the office space.
>
> Let me tell you, the power quality in these people's buildings is *crap*.
> They're nice folks, and generous about sharing their land, and wealthy, and
> though open minded, have bought into the high-tech nonsense. They've got
> big TVs, they've got CFLs, WiFi routers and DECT phones. The man who owns
> the place runs a company; he looks dazed all the time. The AM radio goes
> ape-sh*t when I bring it into his office, I've never even heard the noises
> it makes in there before; it's quite something.
>
> Yet, I need some of that electricity to charge the batteries and use my
> computer. So, I got a decent 20A rated powerline filter, made by Schaffner.
> I have its chassis mounted on a flat metal ground plane, and the this
> ground plane is attached with really heavy gauge copper wire to a copper
> ground rod in wet soil.
>
> It performs quite well! The difference in AM noise on the line between the
> unfiltered AC extension cord, and after the grounded filter is considerable.
> Is it perfect? No. I don't have hundreds or thousands of dollars for a
> military grade powerline filter, but if I build an off grid system, I'll
> have to get one.
>
> However, comparing the filtered line there to the normal AC line in our
> house, I'd say that there's probably not any more noise than here.
> Neither's perfect, but again, I need to weigh the pros and cons. If I can
> convince these people to "clean up" their act, I will be pleased.
>
> All I can say is that I'll have to try the place out. If I feel better, I
> stay. If not, I go. Thanks all for your replies, and if you've got any
> more sound advice, please keep it coming.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Take care,
>
> R.
>
>
>
> On Sat, Jun 25, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Marc Martin <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> > **
> >
> >
> > > They do NOT operate omni-directionally.
> >
> > What is your source for this information, Lizzie? With
> > a simple Google search, I can find Smart Meter manufacturer
> > websites that describe them as omni-directional. And that
> > is the only thing would make any sense from a technical
> > point of view.
> >
> > > Smart meters are 100 times MORE POWERFUL then cell phones.
> >
> > Well, according to one person, at least. Could be less,
> > could be more... also, I think that 100x number assumes
> > that you spend all of your life within 3 feet of a smart
> > meter.
> >
> > Marc
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

> **
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> Best thing to do is get a microwave/electrosmog detector and then you can
> find out field strengths and directional beam.****
>
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>
> *From:* [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] *On
> Behalf Of *Article One
> *Sent:* 25 June 2011 14:06
>
> *To:* [hidden email]; [hidden email]
> *Subject:* [emfrefugee] Can I *partially* shield a smart meter (so it
> still works)?****
>
> ** **
>
>   ****
>
> Hi all,****
>
> ** **
>
> There's a property I've been looking at staying on, but it has three, yes
> three, smart meters on it.  One for the house, one for the office space and
> one for the shed.  The house one is pointed away from where my trailer would
> be, and is far away.  The other two are perhaps 175-200 feet away from me,
> one being pointed (by that I mean the front end with the LCD screen)
> parallel to the length of my trailer, and the other being pointed right at
> it (though probably obstructed somewhat by hills).****
>
> ** **
>
> I'm not sure if these are the ones that go off every few minutes or just
> once an hour.****
>
> ** **
>
> Can I *partially *shield the meters so that they still function (ie, so
> the property owner doesn't get any accusing phone calls from the power
> company suggesting they're stealing electricity), while reducing the RF that
> goes in my direction?****
>
> ** **
>
> Does anyone know if the smart meters operate omni-directionally?****
>
> ** **
>
> Really appreciate your help, thanks!****
>
> ** **
>
> R.****
>
> ****
>
>  
>

> **
>
>
>
> A woman in Chicago coverehers with foil. The utility company said they were
> going to sue her. She said "Great. If I sued you, I'd have to pay. if you
> sue me, I get to share information in the courtroom about these meters, for
> free, and the public will learn a lot!" The company has not said anything
> more. They come and take off the foil to take a reading, and she replaces
> it.
>
> You need to enclose the meter entirely to stop the airborne signal. There
> may still be signal on the building wiring, though.
>
> Shivani A.
> www.LifeEnergies.com
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>  
>

>
> > They do NOT operate omni-directionally.
>
> What is your source for this information, Lizzie?  With
> a simple Google search, I can find Smart Meter manufacturer
> websites that describe them as omni-directional.  And that
> is the only thing would make any sense from a technical
> point of view.
>
> > Smart meters are 100 times MORE POWERFUL then cell phones.
>
> Well, according to one person, at least.  Could be less,
> could be more... also, I think that 100x number assumes
> that you spend all of your life within 3 feet of a smart
> meter.
>
> Marc
>

> **
>
>
> Hi R. and all,
> This reply touches on a couple threads.
>
>
> > Now, what I can say, at least from having stood for a few minutes with my
> RF
> > meter in hand by where my trailer is parked on this property, is that I
> was
> > not picking up pulses from the smart meter(s) every second or numerous
> times
> > per minute. I think that there are different types of smart meters, and
> not
> > all of them send a signal the same number of times per minute/hour/day.
> >
>
> I think the determining factor, is now many other smart meters are around.
> Culverpratt just wrote yesterday that the pules are completely
> unpredictable.
> Of course, one meter emits an outgoing packet every _x_ hours. It
> transmits to the next closest meter in a mesh network, or to the tower
> if close enough. That meter sends the packet on to the next meter, and
> so on until it reaches the tower.
>
> The more smart meters around, the more often the chirping, and the
> higher the exposure, and the faster people will get sick.
> So if you are in a very rural area, and IF the meter is wireless, and
> not just transmitting back along the power line, as they are going to do
> here, then there are simply more than one possibility and outcome to
> check for. etc. Make sense?
>
>
> > So, Stewart, are you saying that if I stood to the *side* of a smart
> meter
> > and picked up its transmitting pulse with my RF meter, that would
> indicate
> > that it's omnidirectional?
> >
> Yes, I can't imagine them not being omnidirectional. I would simply want
> to know if it broadcasts wireless.
>
>
> > I'm not talking about wrapping these things in foil (tempting though that
> > sounds); I'm talking about maybe sticking a piece of clearshield on the
> > front of them, or putting a square of sheet metal on a post some distance
> > away from whichever part of the smart meter is pointed toward where my
> > trailer is, to bounce back some of the RF.
> >
> >
> Good plan, maybe even bounce it up or down or away from your friendly
> and helpful neighbor.
>
>
> > That's over forty thousand smart
> > meters. The one on this house is closer to my bedroom than the two on
> this
> > rural property would be to my trailer.
> >
> But the exposure levels are going to be different, as I think you have
> figured out. One bird chirping is not like a flock of starlings.
>
>
> > The charger I have generates some AM radio noise at the source
> > (the charger), but that doesn't seem to carry at all into the trailer. It
> > drops off fast.
>
> What I did when in a trailer, was to put the NAPA auto automatic battery
> charger 50+ feet away in or on a building close by, providing power.
> Then run a 12 guage romex/insulated set of wires to the trailer
> batteries. Then I ran the Norcold amonia fridge (no compressor) on a
> heavy duty extension cord, so that it wouldn't use propane, and didn't
> bother me up front. (bed in back, away from power box). Re-wired the
> furnace so it wouldn't use the chassis as a ground loop, and it was quiet.
>
>
> > they've got CFLs, WiFi routers and DECT phones.
> That is disturbing. That should be a higher concern than one smart meter.
>
>
> > The man who owns
> > the place runs a company; he looks dazed all the time. The AM radio goes
> > ape-sh*t when I bring it into his office, I've never even heard the
> noises
> > it makes in there before; it's quite something.
> >
> And so it may be starting to affect him.
> Are there any hills/buildings/trees to block the "view" from his place
> to your trailer?
>
>
> > All I can say is that I'll have to try the place out. If I feel better, I
> > stay. If not, I go.
>
> Hope it goes well,
> Stewart
>
>  
>

>Hello Stewart,
>
>Thanks for your thorough replies!
>
>You make good points.  The best thing to do is some comprehensive
>testing
>when I'm there.  I think I am planning to try it out; if I find I
>do well
>there, or no worse than here, then I should make the most of the
>chance to
>spend some time in an otherwise clean, quiet, rural setting.  I'd
>likely try
>out putting up a piece of sheet metal on a post first, as it takes
>away the
>risk of tampering with the actual smart meter itself.
>
>The meters, to the best of my knowledge, operate strictly
>wirelessly.  The
>area is fairly rural; people don't even get cell reception without
>driving
>way up a hill on the property, thank goodness.  (I swear, if
>people ever
>come to their senses about all this, the whole "smart grid" thing,
>along
>with the rest of the wireless madness will turn into a "What the
>hell were
>we thinking?" laughingstock.)
>
>The charger we have for the batteries does generate some AM noise
>that
>sounds typical of a linear transformer, but doesn't seem to carry
>into the
>trailer wiring at all.  The magnetic field is high but drops off
>fairly
>quickly with distance.  If I could run it from that far away I
>would, but
>we've already invested what is for us a lot of money in heavy duty
>extension
>cords and water piping.  Good idea, though.
>
>The fridge runs on propane; whisper-quiet, very efficient, never
>bothered
>me.  Uses the flame to circulate ammonia; never tried plugging it
>into AC
>before.  It's made by Dometic.
>
>How did you rewire the furnace (if you can explain in layman's
>terms)? The
>furnace is an old Duotherm that came with the trailer, it still
>works fine.
> It does generate a local magnetic field, and some "hot spots" in
>the
>trailer walls (probably from wiring), and some RF noise from the
>blower/motor, but I've found that staying away from it when
>running (ie, on
>the bed) hasn't proven problematic.  But what you said about the
>furnace
>sounds interesting; I'd like to hear more if you've got the
>chance.
>
>As for their WiFi (not counting the wireless broadband reception
>they get,
>which, as we discussed, may not be that bad if it's mostly line-of-
>sight),
>CFLs, big TVs and DECT phones, well, the unfortunate truth is that
>it's
>mighty hard to find people who don't have some such combination in
>their
>homes these days.  The good news is that almost everyone I've
>taken the time
>to inform has listened and acted to some extent.  These people
>might be
>tricky, since they've really entrenched themselves in it, but
>we'll see.
> One farm family even refused a $12,000/year rental offer from a
>telcom
>company to put a tower on their land because of what I told them,
>even
>though they really could've used the money.
>
>The house (where some of this "gear" is) is pretty far from the
>trailer.
>
>The office building is closer, but has what are likely thick walls
>and is
>partially shielded by a metal roof.  It's maybe 200 or more feet
>from the
>trailer, and not directly line-of-sight, more off on an angle, and
>there is
>some degree of terrain between us and it.  The trailer's about as
>far away
>as possible from the buildings, short of a very prohibitive
>investment in
>long, long, heavy gauge wires, hoses and fiber optic cable.
>
>I, if I stay, plan to have as little as possible to do with/in
>their
>buildings.
>
>Thanks again!
>
>Take care,
>
>R.
>
>
>
>
>
>On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 10:38 AM, S Andreason
><[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> **
>>
>>
>> Hi R. and all,
>> This reply touches on a couple threads.
>>
>>
>> > Now, what I can say, at least from having stood for a few
>minutes with my
>> RF
>> > meter in hand by where my trailer is parked on this property,
>is that I
>> was
>> > not picking up pulses from the smart meter(s) every second or
>numerous
>> times
>> > per minute. I think that there are different types of smart
>meters, and
>> not
>> > all of them send a signal the same number of times per
>minute/hour/day.
>> >
>>
>> I think the determining factor, is now many other smart meters
>are around.
>> Culverpratt just wrote yesterday that the pules are completely
>> unpredictable.
>> Of course, one meter emits an outgoing packet every _x_ hours.
>It
>> transmits to the next closest meter in a mesh network, or to the
>tower
>> if close enough. That meter sends the packet on to the next
>meter, and
>> so on until it reaches the tower.
>>
>> The more smart meters around, the more often the chirping, and
>the
>> higher the exposure, and the faster people will get sick.
>> So if you are in a very rural area, and IF the meter is
>wireless, and
>> not just transmitting back along the power line, as they are
>going to do
>> here, then there are simply more than one possibility and
>outcome to
>> check for. etc. Make sense?
>>
>>
>> > So, Stewart, are you saying that if I stood to the *side* of a
>smart
>> meter
>> > and picked up its transmitting pulse with my RF meter, that
>would
>> indicate
>> > that it's omnidirectional?
>> >
>> Yes, I can't imagine them not being omnidirectional. I would
>simply want
>> to know if it broadcasts wireless.
>>
>>
>> > I'm not talking about wrapping these things in foil (tempting
>though that
>> > sounds); I'm talking about maybe sticking a piece of
>clearshield on the
>> > front of them, or putting a square of sheet metal on a post
>some distance
>> > away from whichever part of the smart meter is pointed toward
>where my
>> > trailer is, to bounce back some of the RF.
>> >
>> >
>> Good plan, maybe even bounce it up or down or away from your
>friendly
>> and helpful neighbor.
>>
>>
>> > That's over forty thousand smart
>> > meters. The one on this house is closer to my bedroom than the
>two on
>> this
>> > rural property would be to my trailer.
>> >
>> But the exposure levels are going to be different, as I think
>you have
>> figured out. One bird chirping is not like a flock of starlings.
>>
>>
>> > The charger I have generates some AM radio noise at the source
>> > (the charger), but that doesn't seem to carry at all into the
>trailer. It
>> > drops off fast.
>>
>> What I did when in a trailer, was to put the NAPA auto automatic
>battery
>> charger 50+ feet away in or on a building close by, providing
>power.
>> Then run a 12 guage romex/insulated set of wires to the trailer
>> batteries. Then I ran the Norcold amonia fridge (no compressor)
>on a
>> heavy duty extension cord, so that it wouldn't use propane, and
>didn't
>> bother me up front. (bed in back, away from power box). Re-wired
>the
>> furnace so it wouldn't use the chassis as a ground loop, and it
>was quiet.
>>
>>
>> > they've got CFLs, WiFi routers and DECT phones.
>> That is disturbing. That should be a higher concern than one
>smart meter.
>>
>>
>> > The man who owns
>> > the place runs a company; he looks dazed all the time. The AM
>radio goes
>> > ape-sh*t when I bring it into his office, I've never even
>heard the
>> noises
>> > it makes in there before; it's quite something.
>> >
>> And so it may be starting to affect him.
>> Are there any hills/buildings/trees to block the "view" from his
>place
>> to your trailer?
>>
>>
>> > All I can say is that I'll have to try the place out. If I
>feel better, I
>> > stay. If not, I go.
>>
>> Hope it goes well,
>> Stewart
>>
>>  
>>
>
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>------------------------------------
>
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

>
> I am new to this so bear with me as I get up to speed with you
> chaps. I may be a little off kilter and not entirely thinking
> straight because of this wireless hell I have ended up in. I want
> to just rip them off the wall right now or smash them would be more
> satisfying. I like the video recently of the lady that got
> arrested. She had balls. Maybe in jail the wireless will be better
> than my flat!
> What is the worst they could do to me? Wouldn't the news report be
> better than just putting up with these wankers and their meters?
> I need a voice of reason right now. Other than live out of my car
> in the country, has anybody just smashed these meters and got them
> replaced with something else?
> in hell...
> Justin
>