[TowerTalk] Tower Grounding Query!

[Donald E. Stiles]

Hey you guys,

Be concerned about any potential that may
develop between ground systems.  It takes
special equipment to measure this potential
potential #!:?}, but it can be there...

I can remember a QSO where the op's were
discussing methods of discharging static as it
builds up on the tower.  I know that a corona
builds around towers as we witnessed, and then
quickly departed from the field day site hill
when we saw St. Elmos Fire developing on the
temporary ladder tower, guy wires and antenna
"@@" Look at that!

Back to the point.  In the conversation one ham
made reference to placing plain old electrical
conduit about 3 ft long and bent at about 30
degrees.  Next was to cram a bunch of copper
wire in the end of the conduit and make it fray
out like the end of a rope.  Next was to mount
two of these static suckers apart 20 ft apart on
the tower.  The logic here was that the copper
wires(frayed) would pick up static in the
atmosphere and discharge it to ground at a
certain potential.  Well that sounded pretty
neat.   Anybody out there heard of doing this?
Any response appreciated...

73 de n8csp k


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