[TowerTalk] Lightning Protection Question

[Perry - K4PWO]

A hypothesis is a "concept" that becomes theory with valid data.  That means
theory has the weight of scientific research behind it.
I can form the hypothesis that the sky is blue from a giant grating icebergs
into ice crystals but when that idea is tested it will fail and never become
theory.

73 de Perry - K4PWO


-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Jim Brown
Sent: Monday, September 13, 2010 9:30 AM
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Lightning Protection Question

On Mon, 13 Sep 2010 08:49:52 -0400, Roger (K8RI) wrote:

>On 9/13/2010 12:31 AM, Doug Renwick wrote:
>> Just a minute.  Using the words theory and fundamental science
>> principles interchangeably is flawed.  There is a big definition
>> difference between these two.  Theory can be defined as an assumption 
or
>> guess which is clearly different from fundamental science principles.

>The problem here is that most of electronics works with the "laws of 
>physics", or very well proven theories that may be treated as if they 
>are laws.
>Basic theory is part of the foundation of scientific principles.

>That a circuit or amp does not work the way mathematics says it should 
>is not a flaw in either the science or theories, but rather a failure to 
>take into account all of the complex actions and interactions present in 
>the real world application. Taming or neutralizing amplifiers is one of 
>these applications while antenna modeling is another.

>The application of "Vacuum tube principles" are based on the laws of 
>physics as are the construction of vacuum tubes.
>Semiconductor theory is based on how we think they work on the molecular 
>level, not how they operate.  However the application of those 
>semiconductors is based on the laws of physics.
>Computers operate based on the laws of physics and the principles of 
>mathematics.

>There is nothing I can think of in Amateur Radio that is not based on 
>the laws of physics, or well founded theory that can not be treated as 
>law from propagation to circuit design.

I agree completely with Roger's comments. I would also like to point out 
that there is a problem with semantics. When I was first getting into ham 
radio, "the way things worked" that we learned to pass the General exam 
was CALLED "Theory," and, in those days, what we learned in school and in 
those textbooks was CALLED "Theory," and it was the simplified version 
that ignored stray R, L, and C. :) When you took the exam, you took the 
code test, and if you survived that, you took the "theory" test.

That was a very different use of the word than in the world of science, 
where a concept is developed as a theory to explain what we observe about 
how the world works, then do careful study and research to prove or 
disprove that theory. That thinking, and the resulting research, is the 
basis of our understanding of fundamental scientific principles. In that 
use of the word, virtually EVERYTHING we know about the world started out 
as a THEORY, and, with or without modification based on the scientific 
research done to prove or disprove it, became a fundamental principle upon 
which further understanding was and continues to be built.  

73, Jim Brown K9YC




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