[TowerTalk] Lightning strike...help

[kk9a@arrl.net]

My mast is very discolored from a lightning strike two years ago.
I've not experienced any corrosion problem.

73,
John

-----Original Message-----
From: VE6WZ
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Sent: 6/29/2001 8:01 AM
Subject: [TowerTalk] Lightning strike...help

I took a lightning strike at 3:00 pm local time yesterday.  My wife
described it as an "explosion" and my daughter saw a "bright white and
blue
light with orange balls" floating around in a room with no windows!!!
Scared the $#*& out of the cat. Minimal damage...looks like my ground
works.

I have a US tower 89' heavy-duty motorized crank-up...it was cranked
DOWN.
(motor still works ok)

 Inspection of the tower shows three distinct places along my mast where
the
strike hit....these marks have a scratched look as though someone has
taken
a wire brush to the mast and removed some metal....only a slight scorch/
discolored look.

Question: Should I consider my mast to be mechanically compromised ? I
assume that the galvanizing is gone at these places and may be prone to
rust
now.
 Anyone out here with experience about this??  Obviously i need to have
some
discussions with the Insurance company.

de Steve.



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List Sponsor: Are you thinking about installing a tower this summer? Call us
for information on our fabulous Trylon Titan self-supporting towers - up to
96-feet for less than $2000! at 888-833-3104 <A HREF="http://www.ChampionRadio.com">
www.ChampionRadio.com</A>

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Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
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