[TowerTalk] Conductive Concrete and Grounding

[Jim Jones]

Very interesting about lightning strikes.  Never had it happen to me.  
Only had a crop duster airplane hit a tower once.  Don't think grounding 
would help that!

Thanks to all for giving me something to think about since moving to 
lightning country.


Charlie wrote:

> I've always heard even from lightning experts that there is little one 
> can do to stop or even minimize the affects of a direct hit.
>
> Charlie
> Ham Radio - AD5TH
> www.ad5th.com
> Live Blues Music
> www.492acousticblues.com
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Shell" <n6ws at charter.net>
> To: "Tower Talk List" <towertalk at contesting.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 7:36 PM
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Conductive Concrete and Grounding
>
>
>> In 1966, I lost a tower to a lightning strike.  The tower was a 50ft 
>> Rohn 25 with three sets of two guys.  The tower was grounded an the 
>> base with ground rods and heavy guage wire going up about 3-4 ft 
>> where it attached to the tower legs.  Unfortunately, the strike went 
>> down one of the guys, over or through the heavy-duty egg insulators 
>> to the guy anchor where it cracked the cement open.  The tower, 
>> having lost the anchor point for one set of guys, just tipped over 
>> into my neighbors yard.
>> I didn't have any grounds on the guy anchor points.  I had thought 
>> there was no need, since the guys were broken at several points with 
>> egg insulators.  I was wrong.  Lightning is too unpredictable to 
>> follow rules.
>>
>> 73, Bill
>> N6WS
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>> 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.
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>