[Boatanchors] Testing a ground connection / lightning

[Gary Schafer]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: boatanchors-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:boatanchors-
> bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Steve Uhrig
> Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2005 3:39 AM
> To: boatanchors at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Boatanchors] Testing a ground connection
> 
 
> Lightning,
> Impedance? Yeah. We're dealing with AC, not DC, so it's impedance, not
> resistance. The tiniest bit of reactance raises impedance. Good thing to
> remember. Also, surges and lightning do not turn corners or generally
> cooperate with your way of doing things. Gently radius any turns.
> Wrapping a wire around an eave will be the point at which lightning
> decides it will not make the bend and will shoot straight out.
> 
 
Lightning doesn't care if it is going straight or turning a corner in a
wire. It travels on the wire just like any other RF current.

What the bend does do is add inductance to the wire at the point of the bend
which raises the impedance at that point as you noted above.
It is the higher impedance point, where the voltage goes up, that may allow
the lightning energy to find an alternative or better path than it is
currently on.
It is not that it is turning a corner which sometimes causes an arc to
something else.

73
Gary  K4FMX