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When f is 60Hz, it makes for some nice round numbers, and easier for mental calculations.

ω=2πf

At 60Hz, ω is 376.99... very near to the integer 377.

Also, Z₀, impedance of free space is not far off at 376.73... Ω


I'm not an electrical engineer so what makes integer 377 easy for mental calculations?

It's seems like 50Hz would be even more convenient because ω = pi*100


This is interesting, but isn't this more like a coincidence? Power line engineering and wireless engineering are fairly distinct fields in EE.


Coincidence, maybe, but convenient.

That currently may be the case that many or most engineers rarely use both.

But, from a historical perspective, when power generation and distribution were new, there was probably not such a distinction.

Even today, large industrial users of power need to know and understand the types of equipment they're using, impedance and power factor of them, and the aggregate effect on the power grid, and adjust for it.

I imagine that many of the early large users of power were radio broadcasters.

There was likely significant overlap of power engineering and wireless broadcasting. An engineer would need to understand what effect the broadcast system was having on the grid and adjust for it. Calculating the impedance of the entire system using ω and the associated capacitance and inductance of portions of the system. The broadcasting antenna would certainly be a part of calculating power draw and power factor.


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