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From: agn@unh.cs.cmu.edu (Andreas Nowatzyk)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Lightning Rod Problem
Message-ID: <1009@unh.cs.cmu.edu>
Date: Mon, 13-Jul-87 19:50:36 EDT
Article-I.D.: unh.1009
Posted: Mon Jul 13 19:50:36 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 15-Jul-87 01:17:58 EDT
References: <204600003@prism> <616@neoucom.UUCP> <455@sol.ARPA> <618@neoucom.UUCP> <495@sol.ARPA> <915@minnow.UUCP> <523@sol.ARPA>
Organization: Carnegie-Mellon University, CS/RI
Lines: 18

I feel that excessive flaming is inappropriate for technical discussions,
especially if you didn't look up the facts.

Lightning protection systems are quizz material for ham-licenses (at
least in Germany). The basic purpose of such systems (reqired for most
out-door antenna installations) is damage control in case of a lightning hit
by providing a safe, well defined path to ground. You can't do much about
being hit, but you can make sure that your equipment and you body is out of
the current path.

A 10 mm^2 copper cable (solid core, you need more if it is stranded) can
carry the current of a lightning discharge safely (no red-hot BS). About
80 mm^2 of iron cable is needed to do the same job (higher resistance, but
cheaper).  Layout, grounding systems, contact point to water-pipes,
electrical installation, test-points etc. are not trivial because the high
current transient will induce high voltages on nearby conductors.

  --  Andreas