There are no instructables on making a HERF gun... until now. I saw one on YouTube and thought to my self "I have to have one" so I made one and here I will show you how.
-= DANGER: this instructable deals with high voltage and microwave radiation, don't attempt unless you know what you are doing, I take no responsibility=-
-=just to clear this up, microwaves alone wont give you cancer but it can aid in it=-
-= DANGER: this instructable deals with high voltage and microwave radiation, don't attempt unless you know what you are doing, I take no responsibility=-
-=just to clear this up, microwaves alone wont give you cancer but it can aid in it=-
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Signing UpStep 1: Health and safety
Microwaves do not have enough energy to chemically change substances by ionization because they are below the level of non-ionizing radiation. The word "radiation"only means that energy can radiate. It dose not mean radioactive in this case but it can. It has not been shown conclusively that microwaves have enough adverse biological effects at low levels. Some but not all studies suggest that long-term exposure may have a carcinogenic effect. This is separate from the risks associated with very high intensity exposure, which can cause heating and burns like any heat source, and not a unique property of microwaves specifically.During World War II, it was observed that individuals in the radiation path of radar installations experienced clicks and buzzing sounds in response to microwave radiation. This microwave auditory effect was thought to be caused by the microwaves inducing an electric current in the hearing centers of the brain. Research by NASA in the 1970s has shown this to be caused by thermal expansion in parts of the inner ear. When injury from exposure to microwaves occurs, it usually results from dielectric heating induced in the body. Exposure to microwave radiation can produce cataracts by this mechanism, because the microwave heating denatures proteins in the crystalline lens of the eye faster than the lens can be cooled by surrounding structures. The lens and cornea of the eye are especially vulnerable because they contain no blood vessels that can carry away heat. Exposure to heavy doses of microwave radiation (as from an oven that has been tampered with to allow operation even with the door open) can produce heat damage in other tissues as well, up to and including serious burns which may not be immediately evident because of the tendency for microwaves to heat deeper tissues with higher moisture content. NEVER get inside a microwave and close the door, you can't always get out!
The guy holding the neon bulb above the magnetron said this-"The photo above is of a neon filled globe being illuminated by the radiation from a 600 watt microwave magnetron. The magnetron makes a nice hand warmer. The funny fringes in the image are caused by the microwave radiation affecting the digital camera."
Mini FAQ:
1. No, it's not dangerous
2. Because I say it isn't
3. Because I've measured.
4. Because I have the equipment.
5. And the know-how.
6. If you think its dangerous then you're wrong.
7. Go play in the freeway.
The guy holding the neon bulb above the magnetron said this-"The photo above is of a neon filled globe being illuminated by the radiation from a 600 watt microwave magnetron. The magnetron makes a nice hand warmer. The funny fringes in the image are caused by the microwave radiation affecting the digital camera."
Mini FAQ:
1. No, it's not dangerous
2. Because I say it isn't
3. Because I've measured.
4. Because I have the equipment.
5. And the know-how.
6. If you think its dangerous then you're wrong.
7. Go play in the freeway.
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(3*10^8 m/s) / (2.45 * 10^9 Hz) = 0.1224 m
0.1224 m / 0.0254 m/inch = 4.821 inches
When I built one a while back I was able to light up a CFL at greater than 8 ft away.
Thanks! Once again like you intractable a lot!
It is nice in the winter but it doesn't heat up all my body only a small part .
Can it be made to better heat the entire body?
Thanks! cool instructable!
I checked and 2.5Ghz shouldn't cause cancer (it is none ionizing frequency) and shouldn't cause any damage to the DNA .. I hope wikipedia is correct ..
Man - there are 4 different interlock mechanism on the microwave preventing leaks in case of damage to the device .
Although my home phone work on same freq 2.4Ghz - it is only 100mW and not 500W (x5000 times more).
I was just joking - need to clarify this in case some layman actually tries it .
Sorry :-)
also, i love the line "NEVER get inside a microwave and close the door, you can't always get out".
looks breathtaking...
I looked up what anyone else may have been doing as far as trying to microwave a mosquito or any small flying insect, and it doesn't look like it'll work. The mosquitoes are too small. There's some debate over why. Maybe the size of their body is no good as a receiving antenna, maybe they fly into the dead spots in the radiation pattern.
So it looks like to make my idea work, I'll need a much higher frequency magnetron, with a wavelength of about a millimeter.