The electrical front of a storm (if I understand it correctly) can
precede the storm by more than 20 miles...so definitely disconnect!
Steve N0SM
k1ttt wrote:
>I would keep that antenna disconnected. Thunder snow storms were reported
>this morning in Wisconsin, and Indiana, and lightning strikes have been
>recorded in both of them and north west Ohio so far this morning. So don't
>bet that there isn't significant convective activity in the area.
>
>
>David Robbins K1TTT
>e-mail: mailto:k1ttt@arrl.net
>web: http://www.k1ttt.net
>AR-Cluster node: 145.69MHz or telnet://dxc.k1ttt.net
>
>
>
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com [mailto:towertalk-
>>bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Dennis OConnor
>>Sent: Friday, December 01, 2006 12:48
>>To: towertalk@contesting.com
>>Subject: [TowerTalk] Rain Induced Voltage
>>
>>This morning in Michigan we are having a mix of sleet and freezing rain...
>>I was up early so I wandered out to the shack about 5AM to see if any
>>Pacific DX was coming in on 80 or 160... When I energized the antenna
>>switch I was greeted by the sound of a frying/popping noise at about 4-5
>>cycles per second and an S-meter completely pinned to the right... I know
>>that sound quite well and instantly cut the power to the antenna switching
>>box... I unscrewed the coax to the one antenna that is not link coupled -
>>meaning I have a DC connection to the actual antenna - a 160 meter
>>dipole... Using the tip of my pocket knife I can draw an arc between the
>>shell and the center pin on the PL-259... The VOM reads from 5 to 7 volts
>>DC across the connector continuous into a 1 megohm load... There is no
>>convective activity in the area, no thunder or lightning, and no thunder
>>storms predicted... The voltage appears to be induced by the rain drops
>>dripping off the antenna wire removing
>> electrons and leaving a static charge with the ungrounded side of the
>>antenna <coax center pin) left positively charged...
>>I know we have genteely discussed this before <called a scrum in some
>>circles>, but since it is fresh in my mind, I thought I would bring it up
>>again <also known as stirring the pot>...
>>
>>denny / k8do
>>
>>
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