[BC] Re: Static-Cat

[Sid Schweiger]

>>What seems to be the general consensus on the effectivness of the 
Static-Cat lightning system, Is it hocus-pocus or have some of you guys
had 
good results..and what are the caveats you've found. I have clients that

have the system and swear by it...and others who think its all garbage 
science. Clients of mine that have the system seem to experience less 
trouble due to indirect strikes damaging sensetive equipment...and I
have 
not been directly involved with the systems installation myself. Ive
only 
come across them when aquiring a station for contract work... Thoughts
of 
the brain trust?<<

We installed a Static-Cat system at the last place where I was the CE. 
It reduced lightning-related damage to an occasional blown fuse, where
previously it would regularly pound equipment down for the count.  We'd
had the system come through some extremely severe thunderstorms without
any equipment damage whatsoever.

The first, but often overlooked, item in installing such a system is to
make sure the tower's ground is solid and as low-resistance as possible.
 Find the guys who install towers in the cellular telephone industry and
pick their brains on grounding.  They know how to do it right the first
time.  The tower I was working on had too-small ground wires (probably
#4 or so, can't remember right now) attached to the tower via screw-on
lugs...an arrangement not likely to make much of a difference, since our
tower was the tallest object for miles around.  We changed that to #00
wires, one on each leg, Cad-Welded to both the tower and ten-foot ground
rods sunk as deep as possible.  We made sure all tower sections had
Cad-Welded jumpers across the joints, on all three legs.  Lastly, when
the Static-Cats were installed, we made sure they were properly bonded
to bare metal.

When the system is working, you can stand a discreet distance away and
watch it work.  The sharp points literally discharge the cloud.  When
the thunder clouds are directly overhead, you'll see dozens of small
strikes between the cloud and the sharp points.

Remember too that, especially in areas with long lightning seasons, your
system should be inspected up close at least once a year (don't take the
binoculars shortcut...get someone up on the tower), and any burned-out
points should be replaced.  If too many of them are blown up or blunted,
the system's effectiveness is compromised.



Sid Schweiger
IT Manager, Entercom Boston LLC
WAAF - WEEI AM/FM - WMKK - WRKO - WVEI AM/FM
20 Guest St / 3d Floor
Boston MA  02135-2040
Phone: 617-779-5369
Fax: 617-779-5379
E-Mail: sid at wrko.com