Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-16
Hy O.. Is. Tho,npson,


If your radio installation is mo-,
Pircady installed according ia rom
l"tions. Won should attend ia th.
matter at once. The regulations are
III '"rcc The year round aud should
@" complied with as far as possible
= nat thcy are not complied with Is
wcil-known fact. but this ncplI-
S"hcc means that after tn. frs,
thnhdcrclap, thousands Of people viii
storm dealers in radio equipment for
protective devices and their ucarre
s"ppIics VIII TIC exhausted within a
Icw hours.
On" Of tho first questions which
comes 'h'" IN" mind OF the would- h.
ran" user concerns lightning
VIII my antenna attract and Gang.
my home to bc struck he Asks ~,
the general public wireless and light
mag seem To be brothers. probably
because IA" manifestation. n> ho,b
arc unc"nny and mysterious uois,
'hR a radio nntcnna over your nrr,
ci'H does not cndangcr your dwell
ihS' your instruments. or your family
~ icw simple precautions ar. oh.
scrvcd.
You have never fc,, apprenensiy,
over the presenc" OF tn. ,cl.phn,.
wire running from tn. poI. ON IN.
side"aik To your house. Tou do r,,
{@Shrd the bell wire circuit runnI,y
from the front door 10 Tho ,.i,c,,o
as lightning conductor mo-, h.,.a
y"n b""u nervous over the pr.g.,co
OF wire clpthcsiinc in ,ou, ,,,
S"fn. the tin roof over vnur b.ab
or 'he metal cutters and leader pln,u
- 'hesc common and familiar ru.t,I
ares and conductors viii conway
hFeraR" radio antcnna differs yo,,.
rom ines. other conductors
ana objects and In SO far as lipb,,,,
IL concerned the radio n,,c,., =,
H''h l"ss likely to lie struck du,,,r
heavy thunderstorm.
'nu"e sharp crash.
is known fac, tina, yb.,
'hund"rs'"rms arc In Cn,r..io,,
cure discharges occur within the
.'oh". Ihes" discharges ar. nonu-
~ hh""n a. sheet Lightning. t,vcr,.
N"'h discharge takes nIn.c
caves are cmanat"d ANA ,h.s.
waves impiuec upon your .u,o
chnsing sharp crash or c-actIn
~ 'e!"phon" receivers IL you h:,,,,o,'
70 be listening in "P''''
y thundcrcloud mus, ho
eh as a huge bubble con,.inI,,r 49,
- ,N''N. Discharges ar. ,n,.,,,,I,
N'"e place within the hubbl. s,,
increasing tn size When a cor,.,i,
S1''lchI point is reached. tho huhhin
pu's's, the p"nt UP clcctrici,v al
CO.. s"S IN one swoop TO the earn
a. We near mighty ,hundcrclan
~ inns lightning bolt strike. v,,Lt,
on"-half mile OF your an,crr,
Siderable current will n. j,,dmrod =.
your aerial system This induced
current VIII pass harmlcssiv 10 ,hn
sIp""d ana YOU VIII hc Unconscious
o. IT'S Presence " YOU have t.kcn,b.
proper precautions
Let us consider the rrcn, bubbIc
One more. II wc prick tiny holes in
I'M nhhhIe while ~ IL In process Of
formation. the pcnt up el.c,ricj,v
Will gradually discharge. II nrici,
enough holes in the bubble. tho cl.c.
tr!c charge may leak away so FMS,
that the quantity of electricity with
IN may never reach tho point whor.
inc hubhl" viii burst. The function
OF TN" common lightning-rod and
INC properly grounded or protected
",I'thha IS |" prick holes in tho great
cic''ric hubble IN tn" sky, and con
Ncy it's charge silently to tho yrnurf,
For this purpose tho averap. r,dio
an,enna IS exactly as effective as The
lightning
"hai viii happen n lightning
poIt actually strikes my antcuuo -
is Il familiar question. Let us con-
sihcr the natur" OF II lightning hoI,
Thc heavy thundcrclap which attends
hs appearance gives the impression
Tremendous energy. II is true
that lightning is destructive. h,i, nc
matter OF fact It's bark dcccivcs
one OF its might. The avcrap. liph,
ming bolt contains about as much
energy as represented in min, ~
gasoline. The only difference is rim,
the energy Of lightning is cxcrtcd
fnstantancously.
Many Strange Antics.
holt OF lightning represents an
electrical collision This accounts
for its many strange antics sncb -,
stripping tho soics from shoes or
persons struck. smashing crnck.rv
or ripping off tho wall paper. Tho
average lightning bolt never plays
according to IIoylc, and ir 4, does
ever strike your antcnia il will
probably not follow the dircc, low
resistance path to ground which
you have carefully provided. Du; III.
stead may jump TO the chicken COOP.
causing the feathers to fiy. or wreck
the gas stove or refrigerator. The
lightning, IL 1t ever strikes. will bc
blissfully ob!vious To the fact that
you ever had a radio set or anteuna
or ever thought OF having one You
may have fine nicklc- plated
bumper on the front OF your automo-
bile. hut if YOU collided with loco
motive going sixty miles an hour.
IL would be difficult to find tho re-
mains OF the car let alone tho nicilc-
plated bumper.
;" far as your radio installation is
Rnnccrnc1 gh 10
mat II Will attract lightning. The
chances Of lightning striking your
nome this summer are no greater
IMAM the chances last summer. You
should make it point. however to
install such safety devices as will
fendcr harmless the currents induced
IN your antenna by lightning bolts
EtrlkinE in the ncighhorhood.
INSTALL Lightning switch.
FIRST install lightning switch or
D grounded short gap of approved
o"S'Sh' Avoid the purchase of slate
base switches, gaps. or any other do.
vices which do not support the
ground conductor at least iivc inches
out from the wall or building.
Sctond. fnmall a ground conductor
running as directly as possible IN ,
good ground connection. 4 ground
connection may be a water pine. SOW
eral galvanized pipes driven in Tho