Walking Aerials

That’s us, believe it or not. Like most living creatures, our extensive nervous system is electrically monitored and controlled by our brain. Our bodies are sensitive to a multitude of radio signals I can prove this by scientific experiment..

I  should explain what led  me to this subject. Ever since the discovery of a copy of the 1937 B Movie Talking Feet, in which I played piano along with thirteen other juveniles (sadly no others have contacted me as yet),I have been overwhelmed with past memories. Almost every night I see yet another TV episode of  ’Last of the Summer Wine’. Peter Sallis (alias Clegg) was a fellow Corporal Wireless Mechanic Instructer with me at RAF Cranwell around 1942-4. He was a lively character with a ready wit. I used to see him regularly at the Cranwell Music Society concerts, records one week and live music another with visiting musicians. Sometimes I played solo  piano and often accompanied violinist Ronald Huddy and many other amateur musicians serving at Cranwell.

I exchanged letters with Peter in 2002 when we were both in our eighties. We agreed we were lucky to keep on ticking over. I retired from teaching piano at 90 (due to MD in both eyes) but Peter, who also has MD, appears to be still working. .

But it was learning about the wireless sets that occupied me for five years  during the war. It was obvious that our bodies  were sensitive to electrical charges. I ended my service at Bletchley Park. The giant transmission tubes generated enormous power. You could sense it. A neon tube held in the hand would light up when held near the nodal points of the transmitting cables. [I should add that all this Radio equipment has sadly been removed from Bletchley Park.]

I apologise for the meandering memories of an old man. Here is my proof that as ‘Walking Aerials’ we carry in our bodies all your favourite radio programmes :-

Apparatus  Any small portable radio receiver that can easily be opened to allow a small modification. I use  an old Hitachi (seventies?). A roll of aluminium film (as used in cooking).       

Modification. I disconnected the built-in aerial and in lieu, soldered a small six inch insulated wire to the same point.

Preparation. Switch the battery power on and tune into a station on FM or AM using your thumb on the bare end of the small six inch wire to get a good signal. Then wrap the whole apparatus in  the metal film, except for the six inch wire which should poke through. If successfully shielded against the radio waves (apart from the little wire) there should be dead silence as there is hardly any aerial input.

Demonstration  For fun, as I did in my Crusader class, line up 6 or 7 boys holding hands to make an extended aerial. Get the first boy with his free hand to touch or hold the bare end of the little wire between finger and thumb. The result should be a sudden explosion of sound from the wrapped set. Clearly the initiating radio waves could only have come  from the boy’s  finger. In fact it did not need a line of boys. I would let each one try it on his own. We are Walking Aerials.

Warning Children/unskilled adults must not try this other than with low power battery radios and definitely not TV aerials.

[Radio experts might argue that the addition of a person’s capacity by touching the wire could add to the resonant circuit and thus influence the tuning. I agree but by experiment the small difference this makes is not enough to invalidate my conclusion.]

Final Thhought. As a Christian I believe  with St Paul, who told the Athenians that “God is not far from each one of us, for in Him we live and move and have our being.” But it is difficult to hear that ‘small voice’ of the Holy Spirit if we are wrapped in the foil of every-day business and self-interest. Just as the small wire allowed the radio signals to break through the foil, so God’s Son Jesus provides a break-through for us if we take the Easter message seriously..

John G Acton, 26 Holmwood Avenue, Shenfield, Essex CM15 8QS

Tel.01277 222934 Email johngacton@googlemail.com