[Lowfer] Here's another good one!

[Laurence KL1X]

Best static discharge story I have, save for ones from the Petrochem 
industry which Im in, is when I was in the far North Arctic. Sitting in my 
circa 1950's Military canvas and insulation covered hut by myself doing 
comms type stuff - I had to aerial cables coming thru an opening and the 
cables were free, about 2 foot long, and had bnc's on them. - I guess the 
speration was about 9 inches between the cables. It was a gorgeous day (!) 
outside circa -57C but relatively calm to be than cold. I watched, with a 
cold sweat running down my back and these two cable gradually, pendulum 
like, gradually swung towards the each other, gaining momentum. I guess at a 
range of 2 inches there was a very large white/blue flash and the cables 
returned to their resting positions for a few seconds before starting the  
charge/discharge cycle. This only happened for about 15 mins out of the few 
months I was up there but did see the same in the Antarctic in the 70's.

Ref the oily flash - you can imagine the problems we face in the oil 
industry flowing wells...

Laurence -

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