While intriguing, I would like to know what assumptions the "inventor" has made using gas pipes as a transmission medium for broadband. For instance, does the type of pipe make a substantive difference in performance? In my home area the gas pipes, transmission and distribution, are plastic. In my sister's home area, the pipes are all iron. Could we expect different levels of broadband performance?

Cheers, Dave

I had heard that some power transmission company wa

I had heard that some power transmission company wa

this is interesting subject! please send me updates as i will research it also.

more power & success!

They have been trying broadband over powerlines in many areas. The major problem that I have as a Ham Radio Operator is the interferance to communications. Not only Ham Radio but also commercial and goverment (police and militiary). I believe that this would also cause the same problems with communications.

Will this work in plastic pipe as well as steel pipe? Most newer houses have plastic gas pipe fromt eh curb into the home. I don't see how it will work with plastic piping.

I'm skeptical, because gas utilities have been using plastic gas mains for many years. I don't see how the plastic mains could carry a signal.

If it works, wouldn't that be "a gas"! It certainly is an "explosive" concept.

Plastic gas pipes are supposed to have an insulated wire running with them for the purpose of carrying a tracing tone and carrying electrolytic corrosion protection current to isolated metal sections.

Metal underground gas pipes are insulated from the soil so that the electric field for corrosion protection is concentrated at the surface of the pipe and to conserve on current. Metal underground gas pipes are protected from corrsion by connecting them to the negative side of a direct current power supply and the positive side of the supply to cargon anodes. This is why long distance gas line have periodic electrical junction boxes up on a post. This is also why a gas meter bar has a dielectric union - never ever bond around this dielectric union.

You could transmit broad band over the gas pipes and toner wires by superimposing a carrier current signal but the losses on the earth side of the insulation would be enormous and would have excessive noise from power line neutral current. You would only be able to get a few hundred bits per second out of the link.

Also, Dominion East Ohio Gas would object to this. They are very paranoid about gas safety because the War Materials Board during World War 2 made them build 2 liquified natural gas tanks out of substandard thickness of steel and insulation. Eventually, both tanks ruptured and burned down an entire neighborhood. If you want your gasfitting job to pass inspection, do not mention this incident to them - they are still sore about it.

Mike Cole, mc5w at earthlink dot net

I meant to write carbon anodes.

Very interesting concept, but if the broadband is deleivered in the "metalic" pipe, how does it continue in the "Plastic" pipe that most gas companies use in their distribution end of the business. At least in the pacific northwest the gas companies have been using plastic pipe for most of their lower pressure lines and almost always to new services?

Internet enabled via gas pipes sounds plausible but...

since "electronics" has to do with electricity...could the transmittal of information set off gas explosions?

Orlando C. Madeira

I would much rather see this than BPL which is over power lines. I am also a "Ham" and the tests that have been done prove that it interferes with radio transmittions!