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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 9