Contactless voltage sensing devices

1. A contactless voltage sensing device configured to measure a voltage value of a conductor with respect to a voltage potential at a reference surface, said contactless voltage sensing device comprising:

a first impedance element having a first impedance value, wherein said first impedance element is configured to be operatively coupled to the conductor;

an antenna operatively coupled to said first impedance element;

only one parasitic impedance element having a parasitic impedance value, wherein said only one parasitic impedance element is formed between said antenna and the reference surface;

a second impedance element having a second impedance value, wherein said second impedance element is formed in part by said antenna and said only one parasitic impedance element, and wherein the second impedance value is higher than the first impedance value by a multiple of about 50 (fifty) to about 10,000 (ten thousand); and

measurement and communication circuitry coupled to said first impedance element and configured to measure the voltage value of the conductor.

2. The contactless voltage sensing device of claim 1 further comprising an electrically conductive element disposed between said first impedance element and the conductor, said electrically conductive element configured to provide shielding on one or more sides of said first impedance element.

3. The contactless voltage sensing device of claim 2 , wherein said electrically conductive element comprises one or more of an electrically conductive housing and one or more electrically conducive shields.

4. The contactless voltage sensing device of claim 2 , wherein said electrically conductive element is maintained at a same voltage value as the conductor.

5. The contactless voltage sensing device of claim 2 , wherein said electrically conductive element is operatively coupled to the conductor.

6. The contactless voltage sensing device of claim 2 , wherein said antenna comprises a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the reference surface and said second portion of said antenna are disposed on a same side of said electrically conductive element.

7. The contactless voltage sensing device of claim 1 , wherein said antenna comprises a first portion and a second portion, and wherein an electrical insulator is disposed on said first portion of said antenna.

8. The contactless voltage sensing device of claim 7 , wherein a length of said second portion of said antenna is less than about 10 cm.

9. The contactless voltage sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the second impedance value is a combination of an antenna impedance value of said antenna and the parasitic impedance value.

10. The contactless voltage sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the parasitic impedance value is at least about 50 times higher than the first impedance value.

11. The contactless voltage sensing device of claim 1 , wherein said first impedance element comprises a capacitor, an inductor, a resistor, or combinations thereof.

12. The contactless voltage sensing device of claim 1 , wherein said contactless voltage sensing device is not directly physically coupled to the reference surface.

13. The contactless voltage sensing device of claim 1 , wherein said measurement and communication circuitry comprises one or more of a processor, a monitor, and a data acquisition communicator (DAC).

14. A contactless voltage sensing device configured to measure a voltage value of a conductor with respect to a voltage potential at a reference surface, said contactless voltage sensing device comprising:

a first impedance element having a first impedance value, wherein said first impedance element is configured to be operatively coupled to the conductor;

an antenna operatively coupled to said first impedance element;

only one parasitic impedance element having a parasitic impedance value, wherein said only one parasitic impedance element is formed between said antenna and the reference surface;

a second impedance element having a second impedance value, wherein said second impedance element is formed in part by said antenna and said only one parasitic impedance element, and wherein the second impedance value is higher than the first impedance value by a multiple of about 50 (fifty) to about 10,000 (ten thousand); and

measurement and communication circuitry coupled to said first impedance element and configured to measure the voltage value of the conductor, wherein said measurement and communication circuitry comprises one or more of a processor, a monitor, and a data acquisition communicator (DAC).

15. A monitoring system, comprising:

one or more contactless voltage sensing devices configured to measure a voltage value of a conductor with respect to a voltage potential at a reference surface, said one or more contactless voltage sensing devices comprising:

a first impedance element having a first impedance value, wherein the first impedance element is configured to be operatively coupled to the conductor;

an antenna operatively coupled to said first impedance element;

only one parasitic impedance element having a parasitic impedance value, wherein said only one parasitic impedance element is formed between said antenna and the reference surface;

a second impedance element having a second impedance value, wherein said second impedance element is formed in part by said antenna and said only one parasitic impedance element, and wherein the second impedance value is higher than the first impedance value by a multiple of about 50 (fifty) to about 10,000 (ten thousand);

measurement and communication circuitry coupled to said first impedance element and configured to measure the voltage value of the conductor with respect to the reference surface;

a monitoring unit communicatively coupled to said one or more contactless voltage sensing devices; and

a control unit coupled to at least one of said measurement and communication circuitry, said one or more contactless voltage sensing devices, and said monitoring unit, wherein said control unit is configured to receive data representative of the voltage value of the conductor from said one or more contactless voltage sensing devices.

16. The monitoring system of claim 15 , wherein said one or more contactless voltage sensing devices comprise a data acquisition communicator (DAC), and wherein the value of the voltage of the conductor is transmitted from said DAC to said control unit using a global system for mobile communication (GSM) link.

17. The monitoring system of claim 15 further comprising a plurality of monitoring units, wherein each monitoring unit of said plurality of monitoring units is configured to act as a repeater for another monitoring unit of said plurality of monitoring units.

18. The monitoring system of claim 15 , wherein the conductor is a power line, and wherein said one or more contactless voltage sensing devices are configured to be powered directly from a respective power line upon which said one or more contactless voltage sensing devices are mounted.

19. The monitoring system of claim 18 , wherein said one or more contactless voltage sensing devices are configured to draw operating power directly from a magnetic field of the power line.