[TowerTalk] Commercial towers and lightning

[john at kk9a.com]

I don't think that it makes any difference where the antenna is mounted. 
Excessive voltages are induced into every wire in the vicinity of the 
strike.

John KK9A



To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Commercial towers and lightning
From: Bill Turner <dezrat at copper.net>
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2007 07:42:47 -0700
List-post: <mailto:towertalk at contesting.com>

The comment was made a few days ago about how commercial and emergency
radios must continue to operate despite direct lightning hits and that
got me to wondering about something. I know there are experts here who
would know the answer.

In the case of us hams, the antenna is almost always placed at the
very top of the tower. Do commercial and emergency installations do it
the same way? I'm thinking that a non-rotating antenna would be better
protected against lightning by placing it several feet lower on the
tower and letting the top most part of the tower protect it.

Is that the case?

73, Bill W6WRT