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[TowerTalk] Lightning protection

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] Lightning protection
From: baycock@hiwaay.net (Bill Aycock)
Date: Wed, 03 Jun 1998 22:48:19 -0500
I have been reading a lot of pseudo-expert opinions- and I have one
personal observation that "Bleeding" charges does work to protect from "hits".

I worked for 38 years in an explosives plant.   ALL our buildings had
"Lightning Rods" and ground systems using BRAIDED copper wire networks in
trenches. (The wire appeared to be about a half inch diameter, braided of
about #12) 

With one exception, NONE of these buildings EVER had a hit- the exception
was when a roofer cut a lead to one of the "spikes" and did not report it.
We found it out when we had a hit on the metal flue of the furnace of the
chem lab. (Highest point, and was the location of the rod that was
disconnected.)

We had trees hit, and temporary structures hit, but NEVER had a hit on a
"shielded " structure.  Thirty-eight years is a long time.

These systems work because they change the locus of the probable path for a
strike to another place, away from the "protected" building.  Thats why I
threw my Mayonaisse jar away and ground my wires when they are not in use.

Bill- W4BSG

Bill Aycock   W4BSG
Jackson County, AL
EM64vr
W4BSG is "vanity" this time, but was 
earned by exam in 1954, the first time.

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