[Towertalk] More on Lightning protection

Bob Puharic wf3h@ptd.net
Wed, 15 May 2002 03:31:33 -0000


Remember visiting the Eiffel Tower a few yrs ago...lotsa sharp spikes
sticking up from the top of that thing....

Bob/WF3H
----- Original Message -----
From: <K3BU@aol.com>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 15, 2002 2:37 AM
Subject: Re: [Towertalk] More on Lightning protection


> In a message dated 5/14/02 10:23:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> drboz@pacbell.net writes:
>
> >
> >  I'm told that one way to help ensure that something high, like a tower,
> >  doesn't present a convenient place for lightning to establish its path
is
> to
> >  "dissipate" the charge on the tower.  Hence those bushy looking
> dissipaters.
> >  Attached at the top of the tower (not the mast!) these dissipaters are
> >  supposed to bleed off charges that a tower can have, making it a less
> likely
> >  target for lightning.  They also provide an "umbrella" of sorts for
things
> >  within some radius from the tower.  Seems logical.  Anyone with any
> >  experience??
> >
> >  Don
> >  W6DRB
>
> Anecdotal, but it striked me.
> I was hit few times by lightning when I had "inferior" (tribanders, small)
> antennas on the tower. When I had 3 el. 40m Telrex, lightning seemed to
avoid
> me, I was never hit. Lightning likes sharp spikes, while it might find
large
> "umbrellas" repulsive?
>
> Yuri, K3BU
> _______________________________________________
> Towertalk mailing list
> Towertalk@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>