Topband: Thunderstorm

[Tom Rauch]

> Well I think I had the experience of a lifetime today.. I
was working out by the 90 ft 160 Vertical and I started
hearing some clicking. I walked closer to it and could tell
the guy wires were arcing across the insulators ( I used
25KV electric fence insulators).

Lee,

That's very common with insulated guylines. All of my tower
guy insulators arc anytime there is a thunderstorm within a
few miles of my location. BC stations behave the same way.

There isn't anything that can be done about it. There isn't
any way to bleed it off or prevent it or reduce the
frequency it occurs, except to use lower height towers or
long fiberglass insulators instead of compression
insulators.

The only real danger from any of this is if the EMP that
triggers the arc induces enough charge in the antenna to
damage something.

Sit back and enjoy the light show. Get some guests over to
enjoy it over a few beers.

73 Tom