TO: ALL WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AMATEURS
ALL NON-WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AMATEURS
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED
WOOD COUNTY BULLETIN NR 15.48 DATE: NOVEMBER 29, 2015
SUBJECT: NOTHING IS FOOL PROOF
When trying to protect yourself during severe weather, such as Lightning Storms, there's no sure way of being safe. Even though you may reduce the chances of taking a lightening hit by disconnecting your outside antennas, and using a smaller antenna in your attic, or other parts of your house, as suggested in other ARES Bulletins, they too can be hit.
Lightening is looking for a path to ground, and if you, or your antenna, are in its way, you can still take a hit. Lightening doesn't always take the path of least resistance as you may have heard. I've seen lightening go straight to the ground, and miss hitting a 50 foot tower by ten feet. Lightening has a mind of its own, and you can't predict where, or what it it’s going to hit.
The best thing you can do is be sure you have everything grounded with a good ground and ground connections. The better the grounding system that you have, the better the chances you have of staying safe, and protecting you, and your equipment. Make sure that if lightening is going to strike, that it has a good path to ground and that it doesn't go looking elsewhere for a better ground.
There's no fool proof way of staying safe during a Lightning Storm.
Ken Harris WA8LLM
WCEC
Wood County WV