[TowerTalk] GROUND SYSTEMS

[Gary Schafer]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:towertalk-
> bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Cqtestk4xs at aol.com
> Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 9:20 PM
> To: TOWERTALK at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] GROUND SYSTEMS
> 
> 
> In a message dated 7/21/2010 1:54:36 AM Greenwich Standard Time,
> garyschafer at comcast.net writes:
> 
> Why  bother flattening it? It has the same surface area when it is  left
> round.
> 
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
> I was told that lightning prefers a flat surface to travel  on.  Not being
> an expert I listened.  Am I wrong?
> 
> Bill KH7XS

Hi Bill,

Lightning doesn't really care what shape the conductor is as long as it has
a low impedance. Round works just as well as flat for a given amount of
surface area.

The reason that copper strap is usually used rather than a round conductor
is that strap is cheaper than round for the amount of surface area used.
With a round conductor, wire or tube, only the outer surface is used due to
skin effect. With strap both sides are used.

73
Gary  K4FMX