# Lightning Strikes



## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

There was a lightning strike very close to where I live today in which the local Methodist Chapel was hit and the roof set on fire. 

The violent flash and immediate massive bang reminded me of a time northbound in the Malacca Straits early one morning. Was on a tanker when there was a massive flash an instantaneous bang that resounded throughout the empty tanks. What a noise, but more hairily though was that it flashed over the gas exhausts at the top of the forward goal posts. I have never seen so many people move so fast, but the Capt turned everyone out on deck with life-jackets just in case.

No doubt we all have moments like this.

David
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## Moulder (Aug 19, 2006)

I seem to remember the radio room copping a strike on one of Jebsens 'R' boats - possibly in the late 70s early 80s. Perhaps the RO involved is on this forum.

Steve.
(Thumb)


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

In retirement I remain very interested to hear of strikes on or close to mainmasts on GMDSS/integrated bridge/automation systems. And reports of same would be gratefully received.


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

On night watch while coasting in Jamaica (occasionally - or so said the Chief R/O - Fyffes would give us a change of orders via VQI e.g. because there was insufficient cargo ready at the original loading port) there was a huge bang and brilliant flash in the antenna switching unit on the bulkhead immediately above my head. The hair at the front of my already short hair was singed back almost to the roots. 

Electric storms were the normal at night there and it was fascinating to stand on the bridge and watch the "firework displays". But I don't believe that the radio room display I witnessed was a direct lightning strike, just the discharge of a static build-up on the main antenna, a long wire slung between two tall masts.

Anyway it was more than enough for me. I grounded all the antennas and signed off watch. To hell with a change of orders, they were not getting me an electric scalping.

None of the equipment ('Span I and CR300, Reliance and Alert) was damaged - I was the only victim.


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## tzinieres (Oct 11, 2009)

I was Beam Trawling in squally weather in the southwest approaches some years ago,when our vessel was struck by lightning on the towing gantry amidships.It was very noisy, the air was full of static and smelt of burning welding rods.I went aloft to check for any damage but just noted a black scorch mark where it had struck.
Tzinieres.


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## makko (Jul 20, 2006)

I am constantly looking at equipment damaged by lightning strikes. Coincidentally, I was reading an article a couple of weeks back. Apparently, the bolt can reach 1,000,000 Volts and 30,000 Amps! No wonder you can get instantaneous fusion of conductors and subsequent fires!

Similar is one case recorded on video of an individual who tried to steal copper from an "earth cable" on a large transformer - Unfortunately it was the neutral phase to earth! He didn't die but his underpants would never have been the same again!

Rgds.
Dave


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

Ron, Makko, Thanks.

My line is that with the signal integration of comms/nav equipment demanded by IMO (say GPS to every DSC/Sat C) and therefore extended slavishly to everything in sight and done exclusively with copper. A strike on or close to the 'main' mast (translation if IMO's 'highest part of the vessel') sufficient energy will leak or be induced from the strike to render inoperative (by mode frying, vapourising, rendering crisplike) anything that takes a GPS feed either introduced/induced into a GPS aerial or into a VHF, MF/HF or satellite aerial connected itself to GPS.

Al Farabi suffered a lightning strike shortly after retrofitting with GMDSS. I had taken the precaution of providing a Sat C with dual aerials so they would NOT need to be fittd "in the highest part" having an 8 Octa + view between them (T&T produced such an arrangement for over the horizon working for Arctic fishermen). The surveyor was insufficiently attentive to teacher and the aerials were put side by side up the mast. Only One VHF aerial was allowed to be fitted off mast at Monkey Island level. You will remember that initially manual updating of position was accapted and so there was no GPS link between any of the equipments.

She was struck approaching Japan. I am fairly sure this was direct as I have Capt. Brioan Frenche's telex still starting "FROM THE LIGHT OF THE ALDIS I CAN SE THE DF LOOPS DANGLING FROM THE MASTHEAD BY ITS WIRES".

The Monkey Island VHF survived. As did the fabulous JRC JUE 35. All else was black and crispy and terminally so.

Both Radars were 'downmast'. The aerial turning motor of one was lost and the magnetron of the other failed and was successfully replaced before arrival.

I reckon that every fleet of thirty experiences a strike every 10 years or so. I did not get another, so close to the gubbins, before redundancy. I did have one relatively close which took out both channels of a redundant integrated LPG control system.

I don't see how these closely and copper coupled systems can possibly survive close or direct strikes - I am looking forward to an I told you so moment, now that that moment is not going to be my grief.


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

In the early 60s, iron ore carrier SAGAMORE had a lighting strike on the auto alarm aerial. It blew the box and insulator to pieces. Auto alarm undamaged. Not surprising really - Q29 AEI with valves!
Bob


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## richardwakeley (Jan 4, 2010)

Next week I will be installing a new S-Band radar on a handy bulker in Indonesia that was struck by lightning in the Malacca Straits recently. Downmast Transceiver Unit with many parts damaged, so owners decided to replace it. The new set is upmast transceiver type (JRC). Hope they don't get struck again.

It's amazing what can survive a lightning strike though. In the old days of duplex HF R/T, many JRC "matching boxes" for the foremast Rx antenna had the matching resistors totally fried, sometimes the box exploded, but no damage at all to the Rx.


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## lakercapt (Jul 19, 2005)

Moulder said:


> I seem to remember the radio room copping a strike on one of Jebsens 'R' boats - possibly in the late 70s early S. Perhaps the RI involved is on this forum.
> 
> Steve.
> (Thumb)


It was the "Ringnes".
The bolt bounced out of the radio room and into the alleyway and cannoned like a billiard ball into the C/E cabin.
There were scorch marks where it hit.
No one was injured.


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## sparks69 (Dec 18, 2005)

It was in the Med, Boxing Day on the way to Ravenna the main mast was struck. I was chatting on the key. Apparently there was a flash of light and I was shot backwards out of the shack into the chart room still with my headphones on. I knew I was near death as when I came to the O/M was standing over me ready with a glass of brandy. Upon saying I was ok he drank the brandy and went back onto the bridge. The mate and the secunny picked me up and lay me on the chart room settee. The shack was closed up as there were still sparks coming out of the aerial selector box. The two Marconi receivers were fried along with the DF. {Elettra and the other one (?).} Oh yes, the hail stones were 2 feet deep on the bridge wing and were the size of golf balls. Never operated in a thunderstorm again.


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

richardwakeley said:


> Next week I will be installing a new S-Band .


Richard, Are you fitting state of the art semiconductor front end S band (similar to K-H Sharp Eye?) if not why not? If I can be so cheeky.

David V


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## richardwakeley (Jan 4, 2010)

G'day David,

No, it's the JMA-9132-SA which is slightly cheaper than the new solid state S-Band radar without Magnetron. The new JRC model has already been installed on new buildings since last year, but I haven't seen one. I don't have any feedback yet on it's reliability compared to the Magnetron type.

Richard


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## PeterY (Jun 24, 2008)

I was once on a trip from Dampier to Japan on a bulky that passed through Indonesian waters where there was always thunderstorm activity at evening or night time. I always earth the antennas when passing through these storms. One night the main mast got a part lightening strike. The noise was unbelievable and the sparks were flashing between the buss bars and I was out of the Radio Room in a flash. None of the radio equipment (Marconi Gear) was affected but lost the 3cm radar and a VHF antenna. The ozone smell pervaded the bridge and upper deck after the strike wa quiet strong.


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

richardwakeley said:


> G'day David,
> 
> No, it's the JMA-9132-SA ..


GM Richard,

Can't say I have experience as I only managed to get the SharpEye accepted shortly before redundancy. I did get a private report from the old man that it was working well. That wasn't my angle. With K-H guaranteeing the novel parts for 5 years and an expected lifetime of these of 10 I was looking to both reliability and zero high cost consumeables. I really regret not being able to follow the story.

I know JRC were a little behind K-H in terms of time in 2010/11 and were only fitting if vessel on liner run including Japan for close monitoring.

David V


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

Following on from my post #1, same ship, same area, but static discharge this time.

The aerial distribution box was mounted on the deckhead. One heavy atmospheric evening, as I walked under the box, I had a creepy, hair raising feeling and thought I heard a 'splat' sort of faint noise. It was as if a static build up had been 'detached' from the aerial box and fell to earth just like a large drop of water. There was of course nothing to show, and I was ridiculed a bit when I related the story, but I was sure it was something like that. 

Anyone else come across this ??

David
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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

david.hopcroft said:


> There was of course nothing to show ....


Did you check your shreddies? (Jester)


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## John Rogers (May 11, 2004)

A friend sent me some photos of a Delta Airplane struck by a lightning bolt,it hit the plane just behind the pilots head,the hole was as big as a football.
I still have the photos if anyone would like to see them.


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

Ron

This was Denholms boasting 4/7d per day........Shreddies ???

David
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## Farmer John (Feb 22, 2012)

Down on the beach at Budleigh Salterton, late at night with a storm around, My hair (last one) and scalp felt twitchy and the dog was very scared, every neck hair and hackle was up. We went home.

Will I ever have an exciting story to post on here?


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## Klaatu83 (Jan 22, 2009)

I was once on a container ship at Livorno, Italy, when our GPS was put of commission by lightning striking the antenna. Our captain didn't want to interrupt the ship's schedule to have it repaired, so we sailed across the Atlantic navigating by sextant.


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## Moulder (Aug 19, 2006)

david.hopcroft said:


> Ron
> 
> This was Denholms boasting 4/7d per day........Shreddies ???
> 
> ...


Try 'Skiddies' then .............(Jester)

(Thumb)


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## Naytikos (Oct 20, 2008)

Not really relevant to the thread, but since living here I've been hit once, my wife twice and my office and main transmitting tower several times.

To stick to the point, though: IMR used to fit a control panel for selecting receiving antennæ, audio routeing and various other things which were of no use. The antenna selection was by hoop-shaped tubes which plugged into 'antenna' and 'receiver' sockets which were all closely grouped so that by repositioning the hoops one could connect any receiver to any antenna.

It was common for static build-up on the antennæ to produce arcing within the sockets which was very pretty if somewhat disconcerting.


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

Moulder said:


> Try 'Skiddies' then .............(Jester)
> 
> (Thumb)


Skiddies it was/should have been. Had just lost an argument with my 8-year old granddaughter that "Shreddies" were the same thing as "Shredded Wheat", only smaller. Had asked her what she wanted for breakfast and she had demanded "Shredded Wheat" (we only had "Shreddies"). 

Her final, killer, argument was that if they were the same then the makers would have given them the same name, not a different one. I gave up in the face of such logic, but it must have been on my mind and losing an argument to her must have remained in my sub-conscious. Traumatised, that's what I am.


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## Naytikos (Oct 20, 2008)

Strange co-incidence: I found a box of 'Shreddies' in a local store a few weeks ago; hadn't seen them since I was about 10. My wife had never heard of them: well, Plymouth was a long way from civilisation in those days.
These are not the same, though, much maltier (is that a word?), perhaps because they are produced in the U.S.


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## gwzm (Nov 7, 2005)

Homeward bound in the Med. on Brocklebank's Malakand when there was tremendous bang and large blue sparks flying around everywhere inside the aerial selector box just above my head. Fortunately no damage and the lingering smell was ozone rather than something nasty in the underwear department.
On another occasion on Makrana I could hear a steady clicking sound and the aerial current indicator on the MF transmitter was banging off the end stop in sympathy. When I pulled the aerial selector knife switch a jet of blue flame shot between the switch knife and the insulator. Again, fortunately, no damage but I did switch everything off and signed off-watch before beating a hasty retreat.
Happy days,
gwzm


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

Naytikos said:


> It was common for static build-up on the antennæ to produce arcing within the sockets which was very pretty if somewhat disconcerting.


The MIMCo receiver antenna connector boxes did just the same thing. After I came ashore I asked why the design did not include an earth-leak resistor to prevent the arcing. My boss said that they had never had reports of anyone being daft enough to touch the terminals while the arcing was occurring, so there was no safety risk and adding the extra cost was unnecessary.

I suppose he was right and the steady cracking/ticking noises were deterrent enough.


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## Graham P Powell (Jun 2, 2007)

Don't remember being hit by lightning at sea but I did see it strike a cellular 
phone mast that was in the grounds of GKA. Most impressive .....!
I seem to remember being taken off HF if there were storms about.
rgds
Graham Powell


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

Naytikos said:


> These are not the same, though, much maltier (is that a word?), perhaps because they are produced in the U.S.


Look here, you, stay out of this. She doesn't need your support to out-argue me!


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## MikeK (Jul 3, 2007)

Indian Ocean heading for Columbo, overcast but not looking too thundery, we were hit twice a split seconds apart. The first strike took the highest part of the ship which was a big MF whip aerial and reduced it to a one inch stub ! Second hit got the next highest part, this time our radar scanner which had a small hole burned in the scanner top. Needless to say most of the nav and comms equipment was wiped out, plenty of work for the shore bloke when we arrived in Columbo a couple of days later and the chap in Mombasa at the other end of the run who had the bits the other bloke didn't have !

Mike


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## Naytikos (Oct 20, 2008)

Sorry Ron!


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## wireless man (Jun 16, 2008)

Been struck by lightening twice in an Airbus both downwind right hand for runway 24 at Manchester. Hell of a bang and flash but no damage and everything worked perfectly as it should. Just pin ***** holes and pitting in the wing tip and fuselage where the strike entered and left. Compass very often needs a swing and correction. WM


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## John Rogers (May 11, 2004)

*Aircraft Srikes*

[/attach]


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## John Rogers (May 11, 2004)

*Aircraft Strike*


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## les.edgecumbe (Dec 24, 2007)

*Mother Nautres Field Development Scheme:*

Furuno HF ATU modified by lightning. Notice the shredded antenna base at top, and the additonal cooling vents to the sides. Front cover also removed to increase cooling. Worked once.(Thumb)


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

Were the similar stress relief features on other kit noted to have operated do you know?

(Actually the electrical bits look remarkably undamaged - thunder is caused by the high and sharp pressure change as the lightning heats up the atmosphere around the plasma of the lightning - I wonder if the casing has been mainly damaged by the bang and not the electricity).

Understand that these ATU boxes are quite often found with welded bits where there shouldn't be welded bits - can't be direct strikes although perhaps this one was!


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## les.edgecumbe (Dec 24, 2007)

_Were the similar stress relief features on other kit noted to have operated do you know?_

The internal 2A fuse remained intact..... slow burn?


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

I think that must be one of those No-burn johnies - find them a lot in write only memory modules.


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