A Radio Frequency Hazard Assessment Probe Circuit

The annual consumption of electric blasting caps in the United States approaches 100,000,000, so, over the last eleven to twelve years about one billion have been used. The author has made hazard assessment measurements in connection with proposed electric blasting operations in many places: under a giant, operating electrical generating station, under some of the highest voltage power lines in the country, and around many large electrical distribution substations. Electric blasting was safely conducted in all instances. Measurements of stray current, and of pickup under high voltage power lines are easily made, but it was always a more complex chore to make a good radio frequency hazard assessment "close in" to a high power RF transmitting source.