Modified Elektor Teslameter video earns Grand Prize

Back in January 1997, Elektor Magazine published a project then called Magnetic-Field Meter. Remarkably, about 20 later, our reader Mark van Helvoort slightly modified this Tesla Meter to suit EMC measurements around DC powered trams. His impressive results were demonstrated in a convincing video submitted in the recent Elektor Video Olympics. Why and how could this long forgotten project possibly have won such a competition?

Direct Current Traction — Elektor Teslameter on Traction — Still from the Direct Current Traction
video by Mark van Helvoort

Back in January 1997, Elektor Magazine announced in a roundabout way a project then called Magnetic-Field Meter. Quoting from the very cautious introduction: "These days when electronic circuits can be found almost anywhere, there is, some people fear, a different kind of environmental pollution. They call it electrosmog (the word does not appear in any dictionary), but we will call it stray magnetic fields (SMFs). Some 'experts' think that SMFs may affect the physical well-being of people [...]"

EMC measurements around DC powered trams

Remarkably, about twenty years later, our reader Mark van Helvoort just slightly modified this Tesla Meter to suit EMC measurements around DC (yes) powered trams, buses and trains. His impressive results were demonstrated in a convincing video submitted as part of the Elektor Video Olympics (Elektor Magazine edition 5/2017, September & October).
After careful consideration, the Jury awarded Mark van Helvoort the Grand Prize of the competition, a super 3D printer worth almost € 1,500, for his video ‘Direct Current Traction — Elektor Teslameter on Traction’. And finally, as was to be expected, Jan Buiting invited Mark over to the Elektor Labs to find out why and how this long forgotten project (here's the free download) could possibly have won such a competition.