This is only a preview of the December 2020 issue of Practical Electronics. You can view 0 of the 72 pages in the full issue. Articles in this series:
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The Fox Report
Barry Fox’s technology column
Smart meters – for whose benefit?
T
he energy companies are doubling down on
their push for consumers to install ‘smart’ meters for
gas and electricity. It is easy to see why. If meters in
homes automatically send readings to their energy suppliers, by dedicated cell phone data link, the suppliers no
longer need to pay humans to travel and read home meters
(repeatedly, if no one is home). Furthermore, if consumers do not pay bills, their supply can be remotely shut off
(without the expense of deploying workmen with shovels
to dig the road and cut the street connection).
Smart meters
SMETS1 (First Generation Smart Metering Equipment
Technical Specifications) systems have been fitted in
homes since 2013, and offer the energy suppliers another
bonus. They send the data direct to the supplier. This
makes switching energy supplier more difficult because
with a new supplier the ‘smart’ meter may turn ‘dumb’,
much like a Smart TV that no longer updates its iPlayer
or Netflix apps.
New SMETS2 second-generation hub devices have been
rolling out since 2018. These send gas and electricity meter
readings to a data centre that then forwards the information to the appropriate suppliers. However, some suppliers
have been using up their old stock of SMETS1 hardware.
In theory, SMETS1 devices may be software upgradeable
to make them ‘cross-supplier compatible’. But don’t bet
on it. My SMETS1 electricity meter hub can’t send gas
readings, so I needed a new SMETS2 gas hub which now
sits alongside the SMETS1 electricity device.
Isn’t all this evidence of clumsy planning? You can be
the judge of that, but do bear in mind that most homes use
both gas and electricity, and also, consumers may want
to change suppliers. Neither of these are hardly new nor
radical ideas.
1455F extruded flanged enclosures
Smart? The author’s two meters needed for gas and electricity.
Patronising and misleading
There is currently a publicity push for smart meters. The
voice-over for TV adverts from Smart Energy GB, ‘the
UK Government-backed campaign for a smarter Britain’,
!
w
ne
Learn more: hammfg.com/1455f
Contact us to request a free evaluation sample.
uksales<at>hammfg.com • 01256 812812
8
Practical Electronics | December | 2020
encourages viewers to ‘join the quiet revolution’ by installing smart meters. To sell the
message, the voice-over – which resembles
an adult talking down to a toddler – claims
that ‘home by home, something extraordinary
is happening (and) smart meters are helping
to upgrade Britain’s outdated energy system’.
The voice accompanies visuals showing wind
farms generating electricity.
Honest and truthful?
As a test case I have complained to the ASA
(Advertising Standards Authority) that tying
the installation of smart meters in homes to
the use of wind turbines in fields or offshore is
misleading given the lack of any explanation in
the adverts as to why this might be so.
I have reminded the ASA that the power
companies do not mention their own very good
reasons for wanting consumers to install smart
meters; eg, the companies no longer have to
employ human meter readers, they can remotely
disconnect naughty consumers, and the installation of first-generation meters without automated
upgrading to second-generation capability is
an obstacle to changing suppliers. So, all in
all, it is misleading to lead us to believe that
the installation of wind turbines is dependent
on the installation of smart meters in homes.
It will be interesting to see how the ASA handles this case (see: http://bit.ly/pe-dec20-ASA).
Room-temperature superconductor
A
new record has
been set in the
pursuit of ‘high’temperature superconductors – an astonishing
15°C, or ‘just about’
room temperature, report researchers from the
University of Rochester
(New York, US).
Superconductive materials were once confined
to research labs with acDiamonds are a researcher’s best friend, helping
cess to cryogenic facili- achieve room-temperature superconductivity
ties. Liquid nitrogen, at great pressure. (Credit: J. Adam Fenster /
or even colder liquified University of Rochester)
gases were needed to cool
and persuade materials to exhibit zero resistance to electric current.
However, using new materials, in recent years the temperature at which
this phenomenon works has steadily risen from ultra-cold, to chilly
and now almost warm. Researchers are not popping the champagne
just yet – while the operating temperature has risen, so too has the
required pressure. To achieve superconductivity the Rochester team’s
sample of hydrogen, carbon and sulphur had to be crushed between
diamond anvils to the kind of pressure found at the earth’s core.
Nevertheless, it’s several more steps in the right direction towards
the goal of achieving lossless power distribution, low-cost maglev
transport and faster, more efficient electronics for digital logic and
memory device technology.
STEWART OF READING
17A King Street, Mortimer, near Reading, RG7 3RS
Telephone: 0118 933 1111 Fax: 0118 933 2375
USED ELECTRONIC TEST EQUIPMENT
Check website www.stewart-of-reading.co.uk
Fluke/Philips PM3092 Oscilloscope
2+2 Channel 200MHz Delay TB,
Autoset etc – £250
LAMBDA GENESYS
LAMBDA GENESYS
IFR 2025
IFR 2948B
IFR 6843
R&S APN62
Agilent 8712ET
HP8903A/B
HP8757D
HP3325A
HP3561A
HP6032A
HP6622A
HP6624A
HP6632B
HP6644A
HP6654A
HP8341A
HP83630A
HP83624A
HP8484A
HP8560E
HP8563A
HP8566B
HP8662A
Marconi 2022E
Marconi 2024
Marconi 2030
Marconi 2023A
PSU GEN100-15 100V 15A Boxed As New
£400
PSU GEN50-30 50V 30A
£400
Signal Generator 9kHz – 2.51GHz Opt 04/11
£900
Communication Service Monitor Opts 03/25 Avionics
POA
Microwave Systems Analyser 10MHz – 20GHz
POA
Syn Function Generator 1Hz – 260kHz
£295
RF Network Analyser 300kHz – 1300MHz
POA
Audio Analyser
£750 – £950
Scaler Network Analyser
POA
Synthesised Function Generator
£195
Dynamic Signal Analyser
£650
PSU 0-60V 0-50A 1000W
£750
PSU 0-20V 4A Twice or 0-50V 2A Twice
£350
PSU 4 Outputs
£400
PSU 0-20V 0-5A
£195
PSU 0-60V 3.5A
£400
PSU 0-60V 0-9A
£500
Synthesised Sweep Generator 10MHz – 20GHz
£2,000
Synthesised Sweeper 10MHz – 26.5 GHz
POA
Synthesised Sweeper 2 – 20GHz
POA
Power Sensor 0.01-18GHz 3nW-10µW
£75
Spectrum Analyser Synthesised 30Hz – 2.9GHz
£1,750
Spectrum Analyser Synthesised 9kHz – 22GHz
£2,250
Spectrum Analsyer 100Hz – 22GHz
£1,200
RF Generator 10kHz – 1280MHz
£750
Synthesised AM/FM Signal Generator 10kHz – 1.01GHz
£325
Synthesised Signal Generator 9kHz – 2.4GHz
£800
Synthesised Signal Generator 10kHz – 1.35GHz
£750
Signal Generator 9kHz – 1.2GHz
£700
HP/Agilent HP 34401A Digital
Multimeter 6½ Digit £325 – £375
HP 54600B Oscilloscope
Analogue/Digital Dual Trace 100MHz
Only £75, with accessories £125
(ALL PRICES PLUS CARRIAGE & VAT)
Please check availability before ordering or calling in
HP33120A
HP53131A
HP53131A
Audio Precision
Datron 4708
Druck DPI 515
Datron 1081
ENI 325LA
Keithley 228
Time 9818
Practical Electronics | December | 2020
Marconi 2305
Modulation Meter
£250
Marconi 2440
Counter 20GHz
£295
Marconi 2945/A/B
Communications Test Set Various Options
POA
Marconi 2955
Radio Communications Test Set
£595
Marconi 2955A
Radio Communications Test Set
£725
Marconi 2955B
Radio Communications Test Set
£800
Marconi 6200
Microwave Test Set
£1,500
Marconi 6200A
Microwave Test Set 10MHz – 20GHz
£1,950
Marconi 6200B
Microwave Test Set
£2,300
Marconi 6960B
Power Meter with 6910 sensor
£295
Tektronix TDS3052B Oscilloscope 500MHz 2.5GS/s
£1,250
Tektronix TDS3032
Oscilloscope 300MHz 2.5GS/s
£995
Tektronix TDS3012
Oscilloscope 2 Channel 100MHz 1.25GS/s
£450
Tektronix 2430A
Oscilloscope Dual Trace 150MHz 100MS/s
£350
Tektronix 2465B
Oscilloscope 4 Channel 400MHz
£600
Farnell AP60/50
PSU 0-60V 0-50A 1kW Switch Mode
£300
Farnell XA35/2T
PSU 0-35V 0-2A Twice Digital
£75
Farnell AP100-90
Power Supply 100V 90A
£900
Farnell LF1
Sine/Sq Oscillator 10Hz – 1MHz
£45
Racal 1991
Counter/Timer 160MHz 9 Digit
£150
Racal 2101
Counter 20GHz LED
£295
Racal 9300
True RMS Millivoltmeter 5Hz – 20MHz etc
£45
Racal 9300B
As 9300
£75
Solartron 7150/PLUS 6½ Digit DMM True RMS IEEE
£65/£75
Solatron 1253
Gain Phase Analyser 1mHz – 20kHz
£600
Solartron SI 1255
HF Frequency Response Analyser
POA
Tasakago TM035-2 PSU 0-35V 0-2A 2 Meters
£30
Thurlby PL320QMD PSU 0-30V 0-2A Twice
£160 – £200
Thurlby TG210
Function Generator 0.002-2MHz TTL etc Kenwood Badged £ 6 5
Function Generator 100 microHz – 15MHz
Universal Counter 3GHz Boxed unused
Universal Counter 225MHz
SYS2712 Audio Analyser – in original box
Autocal Multifunction Standard
Pressure Calibrator/Controller
Autocal Standards Multimeter
RF Power Amplifier 250kHz – 150MHz 25W 50dB
Voltage/Current Source
DC Current & Voltage Calibrator
£350
£600
£350
POA
POA
£400
POA
POA
POA
POA
Marconi 2955B Radio
Communications Test Set – £800
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