I had lightning rods installed on my house, and has been a very good
investment. Guy from Indiana comes down here in winter/early spring and
installs them here in southern TN.
Joe W4AAB
----- Original Message -----
From: "david knepper" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Gary Schafer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "'Stevan A. White'"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "'Discussion of AM Radio'" <amradio@mailman.qth.net>;
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2006 6:33 AM
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] RE: [AMRadio] Tower Construction
> I appreciate all the email on this subject.
>
> Interestingly, when lightning rods were placed on barns all over this
> country, I cannot recall any barn in our region ever catching on fire
> because of a lightning strike. I am sure that it did happen in other
> regions, particularly, in the Midwest/ The installation was to run a
very
> large conductor cable from the lightning rod to the ground. There were
> generally two rods on either end of the roof. I would theorize that a
> lightning strike should be directed to a ground rod placed a few feet from
> the tower rather than to travel under the base of the tower as some have
> suggested. I am going to ground the tower at the three legs with a copper
> strap and then to a ground rod about 3 feet from the tower.
>
> Also, the Empire State Building and other skyscrapers get struck many
times
> during a thunder storm and I wonder if anyone knows if the lightning
travels
> through the superstructure or through cables/straps to the base of the
> building and through ground rods.
>
> Thanks
>
> Dave, W3ST
> Publisher of the Collins Journal
> Secretary to the Collins Radio Association
> www.collinsra.com - the CRA Website
> Now with PayPal
> CRA Nets: 3805 Khz every Monday at 8 PM EST
> and 14255 every Saturday at 12 Noon EST
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Gary Schafer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: "'Stevan A. White'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "'Discussion of AM Radio'"
> <amradio@mailman.qth.net>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 10:10 PM
> Subject: [Boatanchors] RE: [AMRadio] Tower Construction
>
>
> > Be careful when giving this advice.
> > A UFER ground is a good SUPLEMENTAL ground in a tower base but it should
> > not
> > be the only ground. A large area like a floor of a building provides
more
> > surface for the lightning to dissipate. A tower concrete foundation may
> > not
> > be large enough by itself and there is the possibility of poor
connections
> > inside so that the concrete crack from a lightning strike if it is the
> > only
> > ground connection. It is always recommended that ground rods be attached
> > to
> > each tower leg in addition.
> >
> > 73
> > Gary K4FMX
> >
> >
> >
> >>
> >> DO RUN THE GROUND THROUGH THE CONCRETE! Take a look at the information
> >> on
> >> this site first though. You may be glad you did.
> >>
> >> http://www.scott-inc.com/html/ufer.htm
> >>
> >> Best Regards,
> >> Steve White, W5SAW
> >> SW Commercial Electronics
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Ed Swynar [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >> Sent: Saturday, June 10, 2006 2:16 PM
> >> To: Discussion of AM Radio; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >> Subject: Re: [AMRadio] Tower Construction
> >>
> >>
> >> Hi Dave,
> >>
> >> I have a 48' tall, tapered, self-supporting "Delhi"-brand tower --- 6
> >> sections at 8' long each.
> >>
> >> The prescribed / manufacturer's recommendation is to bolt a 3' straight
> >> formed extention at the base of each leg (total of 3), & to "suspend"
> >> these
> >> (a temporary wooden "cradle" will do admirably, as the cement sets) in
a
> >> hole dug 4' square, & 4-1/2' deep --- the cement is to come but a few
> >> inches
> >> below the bottom legs of the actual tower section.
> >>
> >> Oh yes --- the bottom 1' of the square hole is to be "belled" outward a
> >> foot, or so.
> >>
> >> The documentation says this is good for heights of up to 64', or
> >> so...I've
> >> never gone beyond 48', & have never, EVER had an ounce of trouble in
the
> >> two
> >> locations that I've had my tower up.
> >>
> >> BTW, the top of the tower as an old Cornell-Dubelier AR-44 rotator, & a
> >> 3-element Hy-Gain TH3 MkIII triband yagi...
> >>
> >> Use "industrial"-grade coarse cement, & do NOT run any ground leads
> >> through
> >> the block itself!
> >>
> >> ~73~ Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > ** List Administrator - Duane Fischer, W8DBF/W9WZE **
> > ** For Assistance: [EMAIL PROTECTED] **
> > $$ For vintage radio info, see the HCI web site $$
> > http://www.w9wze.org
> >
>
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