[BC] Keeping an eye on the ground

[wmroradio at bellsouth.net]

What burns me up is the utility claims that they are not responsible for replacement of items when this happens. I worked for Nashville's Public Utility for 22 years, and they won't pay out on anything if something like that happens. If you try to take them to court, they will win, and it's cheaper just to go buy the destroyed item new. 

The same goes in the little suburban town of Nashville I live in, Gallatin. I've had many arguments with the Gallatin Department of Electricity over blown up gear. All they can do ask me this stupid question, do you have your equipment on a UPS? I tell them idiots, of course, I worked in the utility industry and I know better.

This seems to be the same deal with utilities around the country.  

--
Scott Bailey
President/General Manager
WMRO-AM, Magic 1560
Gallatin, TN

  
-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: tpt at literock93r.com
>
> 
> New owner for an AM we built put in a BE1A to replace an MW-1 (one
> reason we sold the station--we knew the Gates had to go).
> 
> Blown up twice in the last 9 years--both times crud coming down the
> power line smoking the power supply.  Last time loggers knocked a HV
> line onto a feeder, blowing up a bunch of other stuff in the
> neighborhood.  So even good grounding won't save you.
> 
> My inclination with that transmitter would be to put a 1:1 isolation
> transformer on the power line.
>