Original poster: "Daniel McCauley" <dhmccauley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sounds like an incredibly stupid experiment. As a lightning photographer, I
have seen rogue lightning strike out of the blue perhaps 20-50 miles
upstream of a given storm. Several times, close-by, in practically clear
conditions (just few cumulus type clouds)!
> "I did some experements and have been flying a kite on #24 copper wire
> 200 ft long. I have not detected any static charge with an NE2 neon
> light on sunny days. It is very interesting to note the neon light
> will light up if there is a thunder storm 20 miles away. Every time
> the NE2 flashes it must mean a lightning strike in the thunder
> storm. I do not fly the kite if it is cloudy or over cast or any
> thunder storms in the near by area. Flying a control line model
> airplane on 60 ft metal cables is not much different than flying a
> kite on copper wire.
>
> I sure would hate to get zapped by lightning.
>
> Gary Weaver"