[TowerTalk] Static Charge field/strike detector

[Mark .]

I seem to remember reading a post way back in the archives about a way to 
homebrew your own detector for charge fields that were strong enough to 
become dangerous.

It centered around using a sensing antenna of 10-20 feet of wire connected 
to one leg of a neon light bulb. The other leg of the bulb was connected to 
the coil of a relay, with the opposite coil connection to ground. Perhaps 
there was a limiting resistor in series between the bulb and relay coil.
When the charge built up strong enough, the voltage would exceed 90V, ionize 
and fire the bulb, which then began to conduct and fire the relay.
The relay was used to ground a telephone line and it was touted as firing 
reliably preceding and during nearby lightning strikes.
Anybody else remember this? Or was I watching the Travel Channel? Seriously 
though, I thought it was on this reflector, but for the life of me, I cannot 
find it in the archives. I thought I had saved it somewhere.
I don't remember what voltage the relay coil was that worked. perhaps it was 
110VAC?

--...MARK_N1LO...--
   Gloucester, VA
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