[BC] AM transmitter lightning sensitivity issue

[Gary Glaenzer]

even the power company has started using them

it's an almost-circle of springy wire, with about 15-20 points sticking up

it clips around the insulator where the primary lead goes into the pole
transformer, and the resulting corona discharge warns Rocket J Squirrel that
he is approaching a Danger Zone

thus preventing Arcus Flashoverus, with the resulting Carbonicus Rodentus

the power co guys claim a squirrel won't get within a couple feet of them




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul Smith W4KNX" <paul at amtower.com>
To: "Broadcasters' Mailing List" <broadcast at radiolists.net>
Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2008 9:29 AM
Subject: RE: [BC] AM transmitter lightning sensitivity issue


> Here in this area, these dissapation devices are all over.  Almost all
> traffic signals now have them, hospitals have them along roof lines.
> Several manufacturing plants and electric substations have them.  Those
that
> have them all note a much lower incidence of lighting damage and strikes.
> These are not the old style lighting rods, but devices that look like a
wire
> brush with hundreds of sharp needles on the ends.  This is the lightning
> capital of the US and a great test area.  I also see the use of what looks
> like razor wire you would normally see around a jail wrapped around guy
> wires on towers.
>
> Paul Smith,
> Sarasota, FL
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net
> [mailto:broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net]On Behalf Of Ron Nott
> Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2008 7:00 PM
> To: Broadcasters' Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [BC] AM transmitter lightning sensitivity issue
>
>
> Before a thunderstorm arrives, the electric field builds up to many
> thousands of volts per meter from the ground up into the
> atmosphere.  If it is not discharged, it can cause VSWR trips (and
> eventully lightning) long before the thunderstorm arrives.  There is
> nothing wrong with your antenna system and its ground system.  The
> transmitter sees a problem and reacts to it properly.
>
> If you discharge part or all of the electric field as it builds up,
> you can prevent this from occuring.  Charge dissipation products are
> not glorified lightning rods, but dissipate the near electric field
> as it builds prior to a storm to greatly reduce the incidence of
> lightning and its effects.  The closed minds on this list will tell
> you that it does not work because they are incapable of grasping how
> it works, but in fact it does work.  A lightning strike is measured
> in Coulombs (one ampere for one second).  The reason that lightning
> does damage is that it discharges this energy in a matter of
> microseconds.  If you discharge it slowly over a time period of
> seconds or minutes, the discharge is normally in milliamperes or a
> few amperes instead of 10,000 to 30,000 amps or more in a few
microseconds.
>
> There is a solution to your problems, but only if you have an open
> mind. Lightning is not magic or evil witchcraft.  It is all based on
> science and specifically Ohm's law and the time constant formula (TC
> = RC).  If you really want to solve your problem, please contact me
> off list.  If you just want to whine, then don't.
>
> Ron Nott
>
>
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