[TowerTalk] Lightning solution

Bob Wanderer aa0cy@nwrain.com
Wed, 3 Jun 1998 18:27:35 -0700


No, Barry, you need two D cells, four if you live in the southeastern US
73, Bob AA0CY

----------
From:  Barry Kutner[SMTP:w2up@itw.com]
Sent:  Wednesday, June 03, 1998 6:16 AM
To:  towertalk@contesting.com
Subject:  [TowerTalk] Lightning solution

There have been some interesting theories proposed lately, such as 
leaving your tower and antennas ungrounded so as not to attract 
lightning. Here's a better one, follow my logic...

The W2UP thereom of lightning protection:
1. Like charges repel each other.
2. Lightning is a negative charge (or is it a positive charge?)
3. Take a D cell (yes, it MUST be a D cell. Those AA cells will 
never take the charge) out of your flashlight.  Attach it 
across your coax.
4. Since like charges repel, by polarizing your antenna with a like 
charge, you have now repelled the lightning. No need for spiny balls 
or anything like that.
5. This is even more effective if you wrapped your concrete base in 
Saran Wrap to further insulate it from ground.
73 Barry
P.S. Good luck - you will need it as much as if you leave your 
tower ungrounded, and the charge has to find its own path to 
ground.

--
Barry Kutner, W2UP              Internet: w2up@itw.com
Newtown, PA         FRC         alternate: barry@w2up.wells.com

--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/towertalkfaq.html
Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com
Search:                   http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm



--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/towertalkfaq.html
Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com
Search:                   http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm