Re: [IRCA] Ground Problems at Coos Bay, OR AMer.

[AM-DXer@xxxxxxxxx (Patrick Griffith, N0NNK / WPE9HVW)]

Speaking of measuring ground conductivity, in a previous career (mid
1970s) I was as an airport police officer. One of the strangest things I
saw was on a clear summer evening approaching midnight. I was assigned
to escort a small convoy of military vehicles and a couple of unmarked
tractor-trailer trucks to the remote end of one of the taxiways where
they were to unload cargo from a military plane. When we got to the
plane I quickly noticed that it was surrounded by about 6 guys in cammo
uniforms with rifles who had apparently arrived on the aircraft. I had
been instructed to remain in my patrol car, park nearby, and wait to
escort them back out when they were ready. As I watched the operation I
was especially interested in two military guys who drove two short
ground rods into the closest piece of soil. They had a driver that fit
over the rods and slid up and down easily driving them down a couple
feet in just a few seconds. A small orange flag was then attached to the
top of the foot or so that was left exposed probably so people wouldn't
trip or drive over them. The ground rods were about 10 feet apart. They
then brought out several reels of multi-strand bare copper wire that
looked like the kind you see used to connect lightning rods to ground.
The wire seemed to be very flexible for such a large overall size. They
connected a wire to the aircraft, a wire to one of the semi trucks, and
a wire to each ground rod and ran the 4 wires to a suitcase size device
with fold out legs that made a little desk arrangement. It had several
knobs, a large meter, and built-in panel lighting. I presume that they
were controlling or monitoring the amount of static charge between the
aircraft, the truck, and the ground. When they packed up to leave they
even removed the ground rods with a little jack device that appeared to
pull them out of the ground with very little effort. The whole process
was very well orchestrated and obviously practiced. It took about three
hours to complete. One semi took the entire load which was a large
wooden crate on a pallet. It was moved very slowly by a forklift that
arrived and left on the aircraft. I presume that the second semi was
either a backup or a decoy. To this day I have no idea what the cargo
was.

Patrick Griffith, CBT CBNT CRO
Westminster CO
http://community.webtv.net/AM-DXer/

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