[TowerTalk] spider balls.. they work

[Jerry Keller]

Keith... I beg to differ.  There's two things I think just about everyone agrees on:  
(1) the wisdom of proper grounding systems to handle a strike when one occurs.... and.... 
(2) a strike cannot (yet) be absolutely prevented.... that is, the risk of a strike cannot be reduced to zero. 

The claims for spiderballs and similar pointy things at the top of towers address reducing the risk of a strike, not preventing one. 

73,  Jerry K3BZ

.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Keith Dutson 
  To: TowerTalk 
  Sent: Friday, July 30, 2004 9:19 AM
  Subject: RE: [TowerTalk] spider balls.. they work


  Your subject line says "they work" but you do not describe the claim of what
  they are supposed to do.  This is highly misleading.  Most of the posts on
  this thread have referred to advertising that claims these devices can be
  employed to prevent lightning strikes.  What are you claiming?

  Keith

  -----Original Message-----
  From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
  [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Norman Hockler
  Sent: Friday, July 30, 2004 1:14 AM
  To: TowerTalk at contesting.com
  Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] spider balls.. they work

  Ok, here is what I have observed.

  In the 40's as a teenager I was crew on a wooden 100 ft sailing ship every
  summer for 8 years.
  We saw St. Elmos fire all the time.  It would shoot out from the spar ends
  and screw or bolt ends.

  About the 3rd or 4th year the owner bought some spider balls ( they were
  called spline balls.)  and they were installed on the mast head of the fore
  and main masts.

  The result was most of the St Elmo fire was dissipated by them and very
  little could be observed from the spar ends.

  Would this result in lowering the likely hood of a lightning strike on my
  tower...... who knows.... but it did move most of the discharges to the
  "sharp pointy spline balls"

  Norm Hockler
  N8NH



  _______________________________________________

  See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
  Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any
  questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

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  _______________________________________________

  See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

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  TowerTalk mailing list
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