Christopher Hooper
Christopher Hooper | |
|---|---|
| Residence | Black Canyon City, AZ, United States |
| Nationality | USA |
| Known for | Electrostatics, Tesla |
Christopher Hooper, known by the alias "Dr. Spark", is an American electrical engineer and Tesla coil builder based in Black Canyon City, Arizona. He is known for his high-voltage demonstrations and for hosting the annual [/php/DatabaseMenu.php?tab=5&type=display&eventid=35 Western Winter Teslathon] at his home.
Biography
An Arizona native, Hooper was introduced to electronics in childhood through his father's amateur radio hobby. He received his first amateur (HAM) radio license in 1969 and began building Tesla coils as a hobby in 1967.
Over his career he worked for several electronics companies, including installing telecommunications equipment for Grand Prix racing teams. Beginning in 1984 he worked as an electrical engineer in Intel's military division, later advancing to senior product development engineer, where he worked on silicon chip design.
Work
Hooper's work centers on high-voltage electrostatics and the design and operation of Tesla coils, including vacuum-tube Tesla coils (VTTCs), solid-state Tesla coils (SSTCs), and dual-resonant solid-state Tesla coils (DRSSTCs). A particular focus of his work is the audio modulation of these coils using analog modulators, producing musical tones from the electrical discharge, sometimes performed alongside live bands.
As "Dr. Spark," Hooper hosts the annual Western Winter Teslathon at his home in Black Canyon City, where coil builders gather to demonstrate their equipment. At these events he has demonstrated large DRSSTC coils, including a bipolar coil and a 10 kVA coil he calls "Fat Boy."