Radio Wind Wise
Wind Wise Radio premiered on 2/12/12 with a program featuring Stephen Ambrose and Robert Rand, acousticians who discussed the physical distress they suffered while taking measurements of sound from the NOTUS wind turbine within the home of a wind turbine neighbor in Falmouth, MA.
“It’s not what you hear. It’s what you feel” that matters when it comes to health effects, according to Rand.
They subsequently wrote the McPherson Report to describe their work and findings. Ambrose’s reaction to the Massachusetts Wind Turbine Science Panel Report’s review of their work was that the Panel was “dismissive.” Rand commented that he is not sure they read or understood the study.
Rand continued that previous research used tools that are not appropriate to measuring low frequency. Their groundbreaking method, although devised “on the fly,” was able to fit the data to the human symptoms. There is now a need for other researchers to get out in the field and see if they can replicate Ambrose and Rand’s work – which is how science works.
When asked about setbacks they said they could not, at this time, come up with a safe setback. But added that significant setback is needed and no one distance will fit all. When asked if there was any mitigation for turbine noise they replied “don’t live near one.”
They concluded that the next step in Falmouth was not more noise testing, but additional tests should be set up by medical experts. “You have to go out to see the patient. You have to be out in the field. It is not what you see. It’s not what you hear. It’s what you feel.”
Regarding reliable wind turbine noise testing: People (wind neighbors) are the most reliable; measurements are second and modeling is the least reliable.
Callers from numerous Massachusetts locations posed questions for the guests. The podcasts are available from iTunes for free and the stream is available on the webpage’s BlogTalk radio plugin at http://www.windwiseradio.org/.
Wind Wise Radio (WWR) is the creation of Harley Keisch and Susan Lockwood, based in the windy Berkshires.
Wind Wise ~ Massachusetts 
Don’t you mean the not-so-windy Berkshires!! Thanks for the kind words about our show. We hope more and more folks will tune in. Our goal is to keep it entertaining, relevant, and informative, and newsworthy. Please pass on the word that we are accepting both short written event announcements to be read on the show and 30-60sec audio announcements to be played. All the best and see you in Boston tomorrow.
harleyandsusan @ windwiseradio.org