[TowerTalk] FW: High-Tension Wires

[Grant Saviers]

One reference I found stated the "kill radius" for electronics 
(semiconductors) is 300ft from a primary strike.  The same radius for a 
person is 50ft.  Presumably the ground voltage gradient, the capacitive 
charging/discharge, surface arc paths, and/or the induced currents are 
sufficient in both cases to cause damage or serious injury/fatality. 
Livestock are more vulnerable given their wider footprint.

Grant KZ1W



On 10/20/2022 14:24, john at kk9a.com wrote:
> Lightning induced voltages can do a lot of damage, it is important to have
> proper bonding, single point ground and MOV or similar devices on the
> rotators and switches.
> 
> John KK9A
> 
> 
> 
> Pete Smith N4ZR wrote:
> 
> Further to the original subject - someone commented about the likelihood
> of lightning striking one of the HV towers.  A couple of months ago I
> had a near hit, as measured by the lack of any delay between the flash
> and the boom.  Couldn't see any physical signs of a hit on my tower, but
> it cost me a rotator, an antenna switch, the shack computer, an SDR
> being used as a panadaptor on my K3, and finally, the USB port on my
> KPA-1500.  I suppose it's possible that this was the result of a
> lightning hit on one of the towers on the 500 KV line, but I'll never
> know.  Would it have hit my tower (or did it)?  The antenna is below the
> tops of surrounding trees?  I guess I'll never know.
> 
> 73, Pete N4ZR
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk