The main circuit basically consists of concentric rings forming electrical dipole antennas having capacitive gaps opposing each other by 180° (called Lakhovsky antennas).
If set up correctly, the unit is supposed to create a broad band frequency spectrum of low amplitude, covering a much greater range of frequencies, from 1 Hz to 300 GHz, than those of the exciting generator (usually several 100 kHz to a few MHz from a Tesla transformer or several kilohertz from an induction coil).
The power of each individual frequency in this broad band noise spectrum is very low.
In order to create more harmonics and sub-harmonics, an additional spark gap on the secondary side has been found in some devices, being mounted directly on the antenna, or being mounted in parallel to the secondary coil.
He left Lisbon on 23 November aboard the liner Nyassa, and arrived in New York on 4 December.