[TowerTalk] bleed-off lightning devices

[Martin Gary]

I'm not sure of the exact conductor size, its about the size of your
index finger. There was an article in QST (or 73) that discribed the way
you make these "spline balls." 

Go to Lowes and get some of that galvanized fence wire, cut it into
about 2 ft. lengths. Make sure that you cut the wire at an angle, so
that its pointed on the end. Then take a piece of 1 inch x 4 or 5 ft.
electric conduit, cut some vertical slices into one end and spread them
apart slightly. Then jam as many peices of the fence wire in it as you
can. You only need to put the fence wire in a couple of inches. Clamp
the wire in the conduit with a stainless steel hose clamp. Then take
your handy-dandy torch and some good flux and solder the whole thing.

Now if you spreed the wires out they will form a ball. It ends up
looking kind of strange. Make sure you bend the conduit at the bottom
(where you would attach it to the tower). The bend should be about 35
degrees.. so that when attached it will stick out from the tower.
Connect the "spline balls" to the conductor mentioned above and thats
it. 

I hope this is clear enough... If its not let me know!
73 de Martin - N3HRT.


Russ Ellsworth wrote:
> 
> Martin Gary wrote:
> >
> > Actually they do work, the power company here in Southern Maryland put
> > them on all
> > of their communications towers and they haven't been hit since.
> > To get them to work properly you HAVE to have a GOOD ground. You also
> > have to have
> > a BIG conductor connected directly to them and to the ground system
> > below.
> > You also have to have a lot of points. Several hundred or so. There has
> > to be
> > enough surface area to let the charge bleed off before the strike.
> 
> snip
> 
> Martin, Do you know how big the conductors are the power company is
> using or are they relying on the metallic towers (if they are metallic)?
> These "spikey things" may be worth the effort for us Hams to install if
> the professionals feel they are.
> 
> Russ Ellsworth WA6CWV, Boise Idaho

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