[MV] MV Antenna Safety - Jump

INDUSTELE@aol.com
Wed, 25 Aug 1999 09:22:54 EDT

By all means JUMP far and clear from your vehicle if you do become entangled
with a high voltage line. For what it's worth, even the residential
distribution lines that you find around your house (in the US) are nominally
5,000 volts. You can tell the voltage of the lines by counting the
insulators. One bell is 5KV, 3 is 15 KV, etc... The ceramic base of the
mount is only intended to insulate the vehicle from the antenna for the
amount of power generated by the radio, which is almost zero by comparison to
power lines.

The (US) National Electric Code has requirements for height of wires above
streets, and above ground in non-vehicle travel areas; however, I've seen
some pretty long antennas on MV's and they CAN be tall enough to get into
these lines. I think the height is 15' above a drive way and only 12' above
open ground. Of course most utility companies put their cables up in the
25-30 foot area, but you still get into them if you find the right
combination of small hill and long antenna.

Tom Campbell - Birmingham, Alabama

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