[Towertalk] More on Lightning protection

[Greg Gobleman]

> Chapter 15 of the original Polyphaser "Grounds" book describes a radius of
> protection that is conferred by a grounded tower, based on the physics of
> the step leader that precedes lightning.  They say that the tower will
take
> the hit and confer 96 percent protection on things in the protected
> zone.

I don't know about that.  You may remember me relating the strike the must
have taken place here.  Found water in the house.  Called my contractor and
he checked the roof that he had put on.  Found that the chimney had been hit
and cracked big enough to put your hand in down one side.  Busted bricks all
over the roof.  A typical chimney hit according to the masons.  But almost
overhead is my Telrex TB6EM, D40 and a 2 meter vertical with the base of the
60 foot tower about 25 feet away.  Yet no other damage has ever been found.
Sure did like that old carbon buildup in the chimney though.  Contractor
said that he believed that was because the tower bled off whatever had hit
it.  But the chimney couldn't get rid of the heat fast enough and bursted.

Lighting is always full of surprises.

73
Greg K9ZM