A ham radio operator and his son were electrocuted Sunday while trying to put up an antenna in Kansas City, Kansas. Details are here. These deaths motivated Chuck Kraly, KØXM, to write this cautionary message.
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 7,620 volt 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 7,200 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.
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