[TowerTalk] Ham Radio Tower & Lightening

[Chuck O'Neal]

No "umbrella" protection exists, nor does any "attraction" due to the tower
exist.  Luck of the draw....lightning finds its own course.  The topology of
your area dictates what lightening will see and want to hit.  Areas that get
repeated hits will continue to get them.  Ones that don't, won't.

Chuck...K1KW

----- Original Message --
From: "Barbara H Mitchell" <mitchell659 at comcast.net>
To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 11:22 AM
Subject: [TowerTalk] Ham Radio Tower & Lightening


> This concerns a problem my neighbors and I are experiencing concerning
lightening.  The houses in the neighborhood are close together (14' between
houses), all are on water, and most of them have either motor yachts or
sailboats.  My immediate neighbor has a huge ham radio tower - possibly
illegally.  About a year ago, lightening struck a mast on my lift which put
a huge hole through the boat, a huge hole in my pool deck, and also
destroyed a large portion of the pool deck foundation.  The 'blast' also
killed my computer, telephone system, and lots of electrical wiring in my
house.  A transformer in front of my house has been struck by lightening
several times.  Last night at a party directly across the canal from me,
lightening struck the host's sailboat mast, knocking out electronic
equipment.  All the neighbors have had problems with conversations from the
ham operator coming through intercom systems, computer speakers, etc.
>
> The owner of the tower has insisted all along that there is an umbrella
protection from lightening; we all believed him.  He is a very difficult
person to get along with, so confronting him is useless.
>
> My question is:  Is there such a 'thing' as umbrella protection from his
tower, or is the tower attracting the lightening?  Could this be a problem
with a lack of proper grounds?
>
> I would really appreciate any suggestions you may have.
>
> Thank you.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>