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[TowerTalk] Lightning protection

To: Towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Lightning protection
From: K3BU@aol.com
Date: Sun, 21 Mar 2004 12:42:09 EST
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
In a message dated 3/21/04 9:50:31 AM Eastern Standard Time, k1ttt@arrl.net 
writes:

>>Paper was peer-reviewed by six reviewers under threat of lawsuits. Paper
states that these devices do not work as the manufacturers claim.<<


Welcome to the lawyers world! 

If you had the threat of law suit and you are "expert" and there was a doubt 
as how exactly "thing" works, what would you do to save your skin, pocketbook 
and title? Be careful and say "it ain't working" (if it does, no harm). 

Facts are and some other people already mentioned, it helps. It may be the 
situation that the "brush" is not big enough, for bigger strikes. But enough 
for 
many or most to reduce number of strikes.

Do the "brushes" work? Sure they do to drain the static charge, see the wings 
of airplanes and even on mobile radio installation (bumper) they help to 
prevent static buildup and discharge, noise.
Are they enough to avert ALL lightning? Most likely not. But is something 
better than nothing? Yes, in my book. 

Another idea that was already rehashed here before (W0UN, K0RF), we found 
that having large, grounded element Yagi on high tower reduces number of 
strikes, 
if not eliminates them. The explanation for the phenomena I can think of is 
like this: Tower and "umbrella" -antenna sticks out in the sky over lower 
surroundings. It serves as a grounded capacitor which "sucks" the charge from 
the 
air in hemisphere surrounding the "umbrella," drains it and air around it 
becomes charge free (reduced) zone. If the sky charge "decides" to discharge, 
it is 
looking for leader and high point of the "other" charge. Because "umbrella" 
drained the vicinity, the angry sky charge looks for more favorable spot to 
hit, and that is outside of the "umbrella" protected hemisphere (ground 
potential 
charge is drained around there). This also might not work every time, sky 
charge and lightning can be very finicky, but the effect is not deniable. When 
I 
had 65 ft crankup tower with TH6 and mast above with VHF antenna, I was hit 
twice (within 3 years in a city). After I put up 110' Big Bertha with 62 ft 
Razor beams or 3 el. 40m full size Telrex, lightning avoided me, I was never 
hit 
in 13 years. You can say I was lucky, but statistically, confirmed by others, I 
know there was a reason - the umbrella effect (or you may call it "Yuri 
effect"  :-)

So it appears, you can have pointy things to attract lightning and safely 
conduct it to ground (lightning arresters). Or you can have big mother antennas 
to shield you from the strikes. You can call me "pathological scientist" when I 
am right (as W8JI does) but I challenge anyone for evidence that they were 
hit more often when they put big mother antennas vs. having spiky verticals or 
lower towers. Yagis with grounded elements are preferable as "umbrellas."  
"Naked" tower with pointy top will attract lightning. Tower with big "hat" 
antenna 
will shield the area around from attracting the lightning strikes. 

If the person gets hit by lightning and seems to be dead or paralyzed, there 
is a worthwhile procedure to try to revive them. Quickly bury the person in a 
shallow "grave" - ditch, with face sticking out. Earth will drain the charge 
and in many cases vital organs will return to their normal function and life 
will return. My father managed to revive two people that were hit by lightning 
and "dead" without signs of life. 

Another reason in our favor to have huge antennas and protect the population 
around us. Down with tower restrictions!

Yuri, K3BU.us
_______________________________________________

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.

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