On Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:09:55 -0400, "Eisboch" wrote:


"Richard Casady" wrote in message
.. .


You evidently think a lightning rod will somehow increase the danger,
but such has been proven by long experience not to be the case. BS in
other words. The lightning rod doesn't know or care what is under it.
It prevents strikes in a 90 degree cone under it. Works equally well
for buildings, boats, and powerlines.

I think we are talking two different concepts here.

A lightning rod is designed to be "the" point of strike, should one occur
and equipped with sufficiently sized conductors to discharge the strike to
ground.
.
I am talking about making the building, boat, or whatever less favorable to
the strike.

It has to do with the positive column .... based on the static charge that
builds on the ground point.

Having some experience with lightning after constructing and using two
hundred foot and one 120 foot radio towers in the back yard, it's not
always height that affects possibilities.

My towers actually took fewer hits over the years than the Beverage I
had running out through the woods for 5,000 feet which was seven feet
off the ground and covered by tree branches.

Also, something that I didn't realise until about ten years ago, the
damage is done not on the air-ground strike but the ground-air return
strike. - there is more power going that way.

I took a trauma course back when I was still active in the vollies and
I was surprized to find that with injuries, it's actually better to be
closer to the actual strike rather than five/ten feet away.