[TowerTalk] lightning protection

[john.brewer at us.schneider-electric.com]

 I saw a bolt hit a tree this past summer (lots of lightning here in NC) about 200 feet from my
tower. There was instantaneous flash and crack.  My feedline was disconnected ....tower is
grounded through  multiple  (10)  8 foot rods connected with #0 copper , connected to tower
legs with heavy copper flashing.  Coax and rotor lines run underground in PVC 100' to the
bulkhead enclosure near the house.

There was induced voltage enough to leave  a large black zorch from mark the (floating) plastic
enclosure the coax ends were in, about 1' to the heavily grounded metal bulkhead  near the
house, which apparently conducted the energy to ground.

No damage inside, except the noise and flash took about 2 years off my life.

John K5MO