[TowerTalk] Lightning 'porcupines' & rods

[Vernon Erle Ikeda]

   A few years back I visited the Canadian Coast
Guard radio site at Iroquois, Ontario (between
Cornwall and Prescott, Ontario) and noticed that all
the buildings and towers had porcupine balls on the tops
and the towers were also well covered at regular
intervals along the side with porcupines.

   The escorting Coast Guard officer said that there
had been no lightning related failures that he could
recall though the person living next door (about 200
feet down the road) from the the station said that
that a tree on his property had been hit just the
week before our visit.....

   	Vernon

On Wed, 18 Aug 1999, Brian Smithson wrote:

> 
> I've seen several posts in the past praising the virtues
> of 'porcupines' to 'drain off charge' before a strike can
> occur. I've also seen at least as many claim it is all
> bunk. I must admit it seems reasonable, but not if a
> lightning rod 'attracts' strikes. I have no background
> here - just a software guy! Does anyone know where 
> I can find out about any studies, etc. to what the 
> scoop is?
> 
> -Brian n8wrl
> 
> --

  -- Vernon Erle Ikeda        || VE2MBS
   vern@hamgate.concordia.ca  || Pierrefonds, QC
   vern@haya.qc.ca            || Grid Square FN35


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