[TowerTalk] Grounding base slab and pier tower bases

[Doug Renwick]

Not true in my case.  Before I installed the porcupine my
mast bleed off the charge.  A number of years ago I added
the porcupine and my mast/porcupine combo still bleeds off
the charge.  In other words, my addition of the porcupine
did not have a negative effect.  In almost 30 years I have
not had any lightning damage.  One of my mottos is
'experience trumps theory EVERY time' and this is another
example.

Doug/VA5DX

Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Grounding base slab and pier tower
bases

If you want to minimize the chance of a lightning strike to
your tower do
not place a device on the top with sharp points. A blunt
point rod should be
placed at the top.

The so called lightning preventers or porcupine items do
nothing to abate a
strike. In fact they can increase the chance of a lightning
strike by
providing sharp points where early streamers can form. There
is no way to
"bleed off" any energy from a tower as the earth can
re-supply it many times
faster than you can get rid of it.


73
Gary K4FMX



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