<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">It happens occasionally. We had a guy in Baton Rouge whose whole shack was destroyed even though he had his antennas disconnected. Lightning jumped two feet to a metal table and took out several radios and computers. Another guy had just installed an antenna on his bedroom chimney, but had not hooked it up yet. He and his wife were in bed when lightning blew the chimney to pieces. He could hear bricks rolling off his roof, but that was all. DX Commander had his whole shack destroyed before his eyes. Check out his emotional video on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABTyqL-8O_0" class="">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABTyqL-8O_0</a>. Statistically, I am sure we hear more often about how many times lightning strikes happen than how many times they don’t. Think I’ll look into what ARRL lightning insurance costs. Honey I burnt the house down.<div class="">Mark</div><div class="">N5PRD<br class=""><div class=""><br class=""><div class=""><br class=""><div><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On May 26, 2021, at 11:35 AM, Gary Sitton via BVARC <<a href="mailto:bvarc@bvarc.org" class="">bvarc@bvarc.org</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class="">
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">All:</div>
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix"> Read this, it's very informative.
It turns out the lightning strikes</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">aren't always to the highest conducting
object, e.g. light poles or even</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"> metal towers. It's all about a
positive (opposite) induced charge build</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">up on the ground. Lightning arresters
don't necessarily cause a strike</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">on the top of a building but only prove
a high current path to ground <br class="">
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">to mitigate damage to the structure.
Strikes often occur on parking lots</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">where numerous light poles exist and
are Not hit. So it's all about the</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">amount of built up charge and not
necessarily its proximity. Lightning <br class="">
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">damage is more like to come via your AC
power lines than a direct mast</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"> or tower strike.</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br class="">
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"> Last summer many of the electronic
devices in my house were killed</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">due to massive strike 2 blocks from my
house. I lost at repair cost of</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">~$2K and months of my time:</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"> 1) The Garage door controller,</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"> 2) All my Comcast video (not
internet) boxes,</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"> 3) One of my A/C thermostats,</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"> 4) My Ice box ice maker controller,</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"> 5) My kitchen disposal unit,</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"> 6) An Uninterrutpable AC box
(UPS), and<br class="">
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"> 6) One LED light bulb.</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">This damage was distributed between the
garage apt. and my house.</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">None of my Ham equipment was harmed
(sheer luck?).</div>
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</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">73, Gary</div>
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<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.iii.org/article/lightning-safety-10-myths-and-the-facts">https://www.iii.org/article/lightning-safety-10-myths-and-the-facts</a></div>
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 5/25/2021 11:28 PM, gmuller12103 via
BVARC wrote:<br class="">
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<div dir="auto" class="">Lived in Houston for 27 yrs and have a 2 mtr on
the roof and beam up 45 to 50 ft and never had a lightning 🌩
strike.</div>
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<div style="font-size:85%;color:#575757" dir="auto" class="">Sent via the
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G, an AT&T 5G smartphone</div>
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<div class="">-------- Original message --------</div>
<div class="">From: Mike Lambert via BVARC <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:bvarc@bvarc.org"><bvarc@bvarc.org></a> </div>
<div class="">Date: 5/25/21 10:35 PM (GMT-06:00) </div>
<div class="">To: BRAZOS VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:bvarc@bvarc.org"><bvarc@bvarc.org></a> </div>
<div class="">Cc: Mike Lambert <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:mikradhou@hotmail.com"><mikradhou@hotmail.com></a> </div>
<div class="">Subject: [BVARC] roof antenna lightning strikes </div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
</div>
How common are home roof antenna (12 foot or less) lightning
strikes in <br class="">
Houston?<br class="">
<br class="">
How many BVARC folks have had a lightning strike on their radio
(or TV) <br class="">
antenna (elevation 12 foot or less) on their roof?<br class="">
<br class="">
Is this a Stir-Crazy Net subject?<br class="">
<br class="">
Thanks,<br class="">
<br class="">
Mike<br class="">
KI5MIK<br class="">
<br class="">
<br class="">
<br class="">
________________________________________________<br class="">
Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club<br class="">
<br class="">
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Publicly available archives are available here:
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<br class="">
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<pre class="moz-quote-pre" wrap="">________________________________________________
Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club
BVARC mailing list
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Publicly available archives are available here: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.mail-archive.com/bvarc@bvarc.org/">https://www.mail-archive.com/bvarc@bvarc.org/</a>
</pre>
</blockquote><p class=""><br class="">
</p>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br class="">
<font size="3" face="century" class="">
Gary Sitton, K5AMH <br class="">
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:gasitton@comcast.net">gasitton@comcast.net</a> <br class="">
SDR/DSP Consultant, <br class="">
"Have FFTs, Will Travel." <br class="">
</font></div>
</div>
________________________________________________<br class="">Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club<br class=""><br class="">BVARC mailing list<br class=""><a href="mailto:BVARC@bvarc.org" class="">BVARC@bvarc.org</a><br class="">http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org<br class="">Publicly available archives are available here: https://www.mail-archive.com/bvarc@bvarc.org/ <br class=""></div></blockquote></div><br class=""></div></div></div></body></html>