I also have a video tape that the FAA made of lightning hitting one of
those devices under test on an FAA tower. It didn't even make a good
lightning rod. Wire particles splattered all over the place. You can
clearly see the lightning hitting the device directly.
73
Gary K4FMX
David Robbins K1TTT wrote:
>>From the last time this came up:
> http://lists.contesting.com/archives//html/Towertalk/2004-03/msg00380.html
>
> btw, as to my qualifications: I work for the Electric Power Research
> Institute at their high voltage lab in Lenox, Ma that was built by John
> Anderson back in the 50's and we still use him as a consultant for lightning
> and other research. It was much of his research plus experimental work that
> we did in Lenox that went into about 8 years of development of our TFlash
> lightning protection software that I have developed, supported, and taught
> classes on to utility engineers.
>
>
> David Robbins K1TTT
> e-mail: mailto:k1ttt@arrl.net
> web: http://www.k1ttt.net
> AR-Cluster node: 145.69MHz or telnet://dxc.k1ttt.net
>
>
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com [mailto:towertalk-
>>bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Ken Kinyon
>>Sent: Friday, March 18, 2005 21:34
>>To: towertalk@contesting.com
>>Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Porcupines
>>
>>Ok,
>>I usually sit here and read all the BS that goes on on this reflector and
>>bite my tongue. This time I have gotten annoyed enough to react. I have a
>>degree in atmospheric Science from a reputable university and have spent a
>>fair amount of time studying thunderstorms and their associated effects.
>>If
>>you really think there is nothing to lightning rods, porcupines, static
>>wicks and the like I would like to move next to you and put a bunch up on
>>my
>>own towers. The argument about pine trees is irrelevant, because they
>>have
>>a high resistive path to ground.
>>Please tell me who these reputable researchers are. I don't have any
>>problem with you expressing your opinion, it is as valuable as mine. but
>>if
>>you are going to fall back on reputable researchers, you can at least let
>>us
>>know where this info is coming from.
>>Regards,
>>Ken W7TS
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>-------------------
>>Kenneth E. Kinyon
>>34 Princeton Circle
>>Longmont, CO 80503-2106
>>-----------------------
>>E-mail: W7TS@comcast.net
>>------------------
>>
>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com
>>>[mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com]On Behalf Of David Robbins
>>>K1TTT
>>>Sent: Friday, March 18, 2005 1:36
>>>To: towertalk@contesting.com
>>>Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Porqupines
>>>
>>>
>>>And what would happen if you could 'siphon off' enough charge? The
>>>manufacturers of those things say the prevent strikes by
>>>either bleeding off
>>>enough charge to prevent the streamer or ionizing enough air
>>>around them to
>>>hide the object. Neither of those makes sense and have been
>>>very soundly
>>>rebutted by very reputable researchers.
>>>
>>>
>>>David Robbins K1TTT
>>>e-mail: mailto:k1ttt@arrl.net
>>>web: http://www.k1ttt.net
>>>AR-Cluster node: 145.69MHz or telnet://dxc.k1ttt.net
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com [mailto:towertalk-
>>>>bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of K4SB
>>>>Sent: Friday, March 18, 2005 20:21
>>>>To: towertalk@contesting.com
>>>>Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Porqupines
>>>>
>>>>David Robbins K1TTT wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>They are supposed to prevent lightning hits. Just think
>>>>
>>>about this
>>>
>>>>though,
>>>>
>>>>>if porcupines dissipated enough charge to prevent
>>>>
>>>lightning why would
>>>
>>>>>lightning EVER hit a pine tree that has many more sharp
>>>>
>>>points on it,
>>>
>>>>let
>>>>
>>>>>alone anywhere near a huge pine forest!
>>>>
>>>>-------------
>>>>I think we're talking metal vs another type of conductor. Porcupines
>>>>are not made to prevent a strike, but to siphon off static
>>>
>>>electricity
>>>
>>>>and prevent it from reaching a critical point.
>>>>
>>>>Good case: Next time you go flying, take a look at the trailing edge
>>>>of the wing. Those little 6" or so stubs are porcupines.
>>>
>>>You may also
>>>
>>>>find them at other points on the aircraft.
>>>>
>>>>Believe me, during my flying days, I got hit by lightning on the
>>>>windshield wiper blade nut so many times I couldn't count
>>>
>>>it. Still as
>>>
>>>>scary as the first time...well maybe second time.
>>>>
>>>>One way I used to sorta predict when it was about to hit was to turn
>>>>on a LF radio. When the noise level increased dramatically, it wax
>>>>time to hunker down.
>>>>
>>>>73
>>>>Ed
>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>
>>>>See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting
>>>
>>>Towers", "Wireless
>>>
>>>>Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free,
>>>
>>>1-800-333-9041 with
>>>
>>>>any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>>>>
>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>TowerTalk mailing list
>>>>TowerTalk@contesting.com
>>>>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>
>>>See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers",
>>>"Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free,
>>>1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>TowerTalk mailing list
>>>TowerTalk@contesting.com
>>>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>>
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>
>>See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
>>Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with
>>any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>TowerTalk mailing list
>>TowerTalk@contesting.com
>>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
> Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any
> questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>
>
_______________________________________________
See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather
Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
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