[TowerTalk] TT SHUTDOWN (was: 4 awg copper wire and Amp locks)

[Robert Chudek - K0RC]

Craig, my apology to you, personally, that my "violation" comment was in reference to the photo on your website. I have to believe that image is a stock photo from the manufacturer of the product and not something that you shot yourself.

Since my original post, the variety of responses has me wondering whether some people are actually reading the messages and comprehending the information that is being presented! Probably the most appropriate (although unexpected) comment was by one individual who said the choice of grounding technology boiled down to "risk assessment".

You don't fool with mother nature. People and their houses (who don't even own a tower or antenna) have been stuck be lightning... with a variety of consequences. So I have to agree with "risk assessment"... do nothing, do the best you can, or take out a second mortgage for a grounding system... Then sit back and let the dice roll.

Regarding the Amp C-loks, they seem to be in the same price category as the Cadweld units. And I agree, the copper prices have gone through the roof. In general, solid and stranded wire are in the same price range. (I'm seriously thinking about pulling out all my house wiring and selling it on the scrap market... I'll just get me some of them wireless extension cords I saw earlier this year.)

One interesting idea that did came out of this thread (so far) is the use of copper tubing instead of solid wire. I'd like to hear more comments pro/con about this. I would expect tubing would be more cost effective and equal in the capability to dissipate the energy in a strike.

Finally... I also agree with you regarding this reflector. I find it a very useful vehicle for the exchange of ideas. I see the participants' range of knowledge from those who come here to ask questions and learn, to those who are the professionals in the specific industry being discussed.

Where I find a problem is in the people who can articulate old wives tales into sounding reasonable and probable, therefore perpetuating junk science. Let's try these topics on for size... I need help selecting some good divining rods to help locate a new well on my acreage. Or more appropriate for TT, a standard single phase 240 VAC 30 amp circuit for your rotating tower wired to NEC specs contains how many wires?

73 de Bob - K0RC


Message: 2
Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2006 16:46:30 -0400
From: Craig Clark <jcclark at wildblue.net>
Subject: [TowerTalk] TT SHUTDOWN
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20060711161419.03b8eac8 at wildblue.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed


>
>Well we might as well shut down this Tower Talk reflector for as 
>much good as it's doing... I can't believe after weeks of 
>discussions regarding proper ground system bonding, this post has 
>been made... The picture shows two violations... #1) a stranded 
>ground wire and #2) a non exothermic connection.
>
>73 de Bob - K0RC
>
>

Bob

Gee. I wonder what Amp is doing selling the Cloks then? They are 
specifically sold for attaching stranded copper wire to ground rods 
and include a corrosion inhibitor.

Secondly, IMHO copper braid is more of a concern than stranded copper 
wire. Properly waterproofed at the ground rod, I think you'd have a 
fine ground; no solder to melt or burn out.

My desire was to share pricing on copper wire to inform TT'ers of the 
latest HUGE price increase in all copper products.

As for a "violation," well, there are many divergent opinions here on 
TT. Get two of us together and you have a conversation. Get three 
involved and it always seems to generate an argument......which I am 
NOT trying to provoke with my esteemed colleagues.

Craig K1QX