Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TowerTalk] Using latrine as earthing system ...

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Using latrine as earthing system ...
From: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Sun, 10 Sep 2006 01:55:41 -0400
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
I'm assuming you mean a pit or trench latrine as the definition also 
includes public toilets,commodes, ...etc (a whole long list)

At any rate using one for a ground brings some interesting thoughts to mind 
and a story told to me by my dad when I was a *lot* younger.

Seems as my dad was a truck driver at his brother's poultry processing 
plant. This was back in the days of "spark coil" ignitions, not ignition 
coils.  These things had a vibrator that produced a continuous spark that 
was routed to the cylinders by a distributor.  No such thing as a spark 
coil, capacitor, and points.

At any rate, *some one* snaked a small wire into the toilet and they waited 
for the one guy to go in.  As soon as the sounds indicated it was time some 
one threw the switch.  Now this does not produce a strong shock, but rather 
a strong *burning* sensation is a rater specific location. Throwing the 
switch resulted in a string of invectives directed at a specific name.  IOW 
they now knew who he'd been out with<:-))  I never did find out if he found 
out about the latrine being hot wired. <:-))  I've heard of this happening 
with the house pipes being used for RF grounds when they were all metal, but 
I don't know if they were just stories or had a basis in fact.

I do remember on Field Day way back when who ever operated 160 would call 
out before throwing the transmit switch and we'd all lift our hands away 
from mike stands as well as transmit switches.  For those of us on the same 
ground line it got to be an exercise in coordination.

Roger Halstead (K8RI and ARRL 40 year Life Member)
N833R - World's oldest Debonair CD-2
www.rogerhalstead.com (Use return address from home page)


> Hello
>
> I've an other question.
>
> I've heard from an electrican that using the latrin (we are living in
> rural zone) who everyone has a latrin (soakaway?)
> is a very good solution. I tought a bit about this and have found that
> the rsistivity could be close to humus
> which is about (10-150 I have read) and the place is always moisty...
> Has anyone any experience with this?
>
> Greetings
>
> Beat
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> 

_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>