TV Antenna Voltage From the Air

From the following link....

http://www.tselectronic.com/tech_notes/db.php

"...The reference level was defined in the late 1950s and references the minimum voltage required by a television tuner to produce an excellent television picture. In the early days of television, voltages generated by antennas were measured in microvolts (uV). It was decided that 1000 microvolts at the input of the television tuner was the minimum required to produce excellent video image quality. Of course other factors also affected the tuner's performance but it was generally accepted that 1000 microvolts was the target value. ..."

Now before you go and try to measure/capture that "1mV" remember that this is a very low current (micro Amps) that can only be sensed/utilized by a very high impedance (in the many megohms) circuit, all of which yields a very, very low power. How low? 1x10**-6 Volt times 1x10**-6 Amp = 1x10**-12 Watt (that's .000000000001 Watt), not quite enough power to light your favorite LED.

The researchers that are capturing the "...RF (Radio Frequency) energy that surrounds us all..." are using quite sophisticated methods and circuits to do so. Read more about Nikolas Tesla to see the roots of this thought.

Measure with a microvoltmeter?