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Ham electrocuted today in Kansas City!
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Paul Guido
To the members of the W5SC Yahoo group.
This is from the ARRL PR reflector. I hope this adds to the words of caution that Mike and I provided on tower climbing. It is so sad that this type of accident still occurs. Plan for safety and look at the work area for dangers. These can be burried power lines, overhead power lines, out of date or inspection safety equipment and any trip hazzards. Tripping on a toolbox or having an eight foot ladder fall on you can make for a very bad day. Think safe and be safe my friends! Paul Guido, N5IUT From: Larry Staples lstaples@k..... Date: July 13, 2008 8:19:25 PM CDT To: Larry's List Subject: A ham and his son electrocuted? KC0TIG and his son were electrocuted today while trying to put up an antenna. <http://tinyurl.com/6btuas> <http://www.kmbc.com/news/16871003/detail.html> <http://tinyurl.com/66988d> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> THESE NEWS ITEMS MOTIVATED CHUCK KRALY, K0XM, TO WRITE THIS MESSAGE: <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> I just saw this one on the news, and had to write a this message to be passed on to the ham community, especially the newer hams. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> We lost another ham today, and it is a very sad event. The parties involved, were installing a Comet FIBERGLASS antenna, that came in contact with a single 7620V power line. Now how do I know what the exact voltage is? I built and maintained the substation that fed this circuit. I spent 27 yrears as a substaion technician for the Board of Public Utilities. I am still in this field. So, I feel I have some experience in what I am passing along. In a nutshell, the location of the accident was a few blocks from the substation. The wires you see going thru the residential areas are AT MINUMUM 7200 volts from each wire to ground, and between any two of them is 13,800 volts. This is nothing to play with at any time. I have seen a fault TOTALLY vaporize 1" copper buss (which is solid). Imagine what it can do to a human. Each wire is fed from what is called a 3 phase line. From there, it can be broken off and sent down a property line as a single wire. Those are called "laterals" Yes, you will see a device at the break out point, and this is a fuse. BUT the caution needs to be conveyed. These fuses are in the 60-100 amp range. This is at 7200 volts. On top of that, anytime a tree falls across a line, or a pole gets hit, there is a circuit on the "feeder" at the substaion that AUTOMATICALLY closes the fedder back in, and TRIES to restore the power to the area. Some of these "reclosers" can operate 2-5 times, depending on how they are set. Now from the substaion end, the protective device is set for the full fault capabilites of the line. In the case of BPU, this can be set at 600 AMPS, and multiples of that value. The protective devices are set for what is called a "time" or and "instantaneous" operation. Picture a fast blow fuse and a slow blow, and you will understand the difference in the settings. These setting are at multiple of the 600 amp value. So, if there is a direct short, then it will not trip until it reaches a value at, oh lets say, 8 times that value. So we are looking at 4800 amps. and this is at 7200 volts and lower. So, it trips, then it energizes it AGAIN. The possiblity of survival is slim and none. Now remember how I said they were installing a FIBERGLASS antenna? Well guess what. It is metal inside. Yes, fiberglass does not radiate as we all know. Hence the metal. That is what caused the accident. They got too close to the line (remember your 'magnetic lines of flux' theory? If not, look it up on the web). There is a minimum approach area that MUST be followed. This changes for ALL voltages. This distance must NOT be broken. If it is a flashover will happen, and it is not pretty. Electricity will find the shortest path to ground. In this case it was a couple of men. Folks, this is nothing to take chances with. In my almost 30 yrs as a ham, and 27 yrs in the power utility field, I have seen way too many "accidents." Stop, look and if it is close or SEEMS that way- DON'T. Find another place. High voltage lines are NOT forgiving. Your life depends on it. You always hear "it is the amps not the volts" well I can tell you when you get at these levels, who is going to argue what killed the person who had the accident. PLEASE ,PLEASE follow the warnings. ANYWHERE close is too close. Stay safe, and I hope we can enjoy many more years of hamming. Thanks Guys, Chuck Kraly, K0XM
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Did you watch the Fox News broadcast? The reporter claimed you
needed a license to install ham radio antennas and it was unknown if they had such a license, but there were many other licenses on the roof of the house already. :) At 09:15 PM 7/13/2008, you wrote: To the members of the W5SC Yahoo group.___________________________________ _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Lee W. Besing San Antonio, TX (210)771-7075 voice _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
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Needham Joe Thompson <w4cth@...>
Just goes to show how "accurate" all the rest of the reported news
likely is:-). As an aside, I have many years experience as an Emergency Room physician and in running ERs. This sad occurrence happens too often. Aside from commercial occurrences, the usual victims are either folks installing antennas (including but not limited to Hams) or sailboat owners. Both have the common fault of trying to move a long metal pole throught a very visible overhead wire, the existence of which may even be known. The other scenario is trying to shoot a wire antenna accross overhead transmission lines. It can't be said too often to always look up and NEVER decide that you will be able to avoid the transmission line. --- In W5SC@..., Lee Besing <lee@...> wrote: if they had such a license, but there were many other licenses on theof that thiscaution that Mike and I provided on tower climbing. It is so sad be burriedtype of accident still occurs. safetypower lines, overhead power lines, out of date or inspection an eightequipment and any trip hazzards. Tripping on a toolbox or having anfoot ladder fall on you can make for a very bad day. MESSAGE:antenna. to be parties involved,passed on to the ham community, especially the newer hams. with awere installing a Comet FIBERGLASS antenna, that came in contact is? Isingle 7620V power line. Now how do I know what the exact voltage spent 27 yrearsbuilt and maintained the substation that fed this circuit. I still inas a substaion technician for the Board of Public Utilities. I am passing along.this field. So, I feel I have some experience in what I am the are ATsubstation. The wires you see going thru the residential areas of them isMINUMUM 7200 volts from each wire to ground, and between any two seen a fault13,800 volts. This is nothing to play with at any time. I have can do toTOTALLY vaporize 1" copper buss (which is solid). Imagine what it it can bea human. are calledbroken off and sent down a property line as a single wire. Those this is a"laterals" Yes, you will see a device at the break out point, and the 60-100fuse. BUT the caution needs to be conveyed. These fuses are in fallsamp range. This is at 7200 volts. On top of that, anytime a tree the "feeder" at theacross a line, or a pole gets hit, there is a circuit on to restoresubstaion that AUTOMATICALLY closes the fedder back in, and TRIES times,the power to the area. Some of these "reclosers" can operate 2-5 protectivedepending on how they are set. Now from the substaion end, the case ofdevice is set for the full fault capabilites of the line. In the blow, and youBPU, this can be set at 600 AMPS, and multiples of that value. The atwill understand the difference in the settings. These setting are then it willmultiple of the 600 amp value. So, if there is a direct short, value. So wenot trip until it reaches a value at, oh lets say, 8 times that So, it trips,are looking at 4800 amps. and this is at 7200 volts and lower. and none.then it energizes it AGAIN. The possiblity of survival is slim antenna? Well as we allguess what. It is metal inside. Yes, fiberglass does not radiate too closeknow. Hence the metal. That is what caused the accident. They got not, look itto the line (remember your 'magnetic lines of flux' theory? If followed. Thisup on the web). There is a minimum approach area that MUST be is achanges for ALL voltages. This distance must NOT be broken. If it find theflashover will happen, and it is not pretty. Electricity will as a ham,shortest path to ground. In this case it was a couple of men. many "accidents."and 27 yrs in the power utility field, I have seen way too another place.Stop, look and if it is close or SEEMS that way- DON'T. Find You alwaysHigh voltage lines are NOT forgiving. Your life depends on it. get athear "it is the amps not the volts" well I can tell you when you had thethese levels, who is going to argue what killed the person who too close.accident. PLEASE ,PLEASE follow the warnings. ANYWHERE close is ___________________________________
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