We had a direct strike a few years back, and the results were interesting. In most cases a gap of an inch or less vs. a direct connection made a huge difference. The lightning took the easiest path to ground every time. But that's the key ... you can't just "open" the line, it needs to be switched to a ground connection. Not even the quality of ground you need for RFI, noise, etc ... just a decent ground.
73 Lyn, W0LEN -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of John Simmons Sent: Monday, January 18, 2021 6:01 PM To: Elecraft Mailing List Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Automatic lightning protection for radios Let's think about this. The difference of potential between cloud and ground supports an arc of hundreds of feet. You are suggesting putting a switch in line with a wire that connects to the radio to 'protect' it. Won't the lightning just jump the open switch contacts? -- 73, -de John NI0K Douglas Hagerman via Elecraft wrote on 1/18/2021 12:39 PM: > As I understand it, there should be a multi-level defense. > > Direct bonding to ground rods for any towers or support poles, plus the > standard “automatic” grounding for the antenna wires using those things with > the little metal chips in a tube, plus lots of ground rods, plus bonding of > the antenna ground system to the household electric ground. All done outside > the building. > > Household surge protector in the breaker box, plus perhaps two more in series > with the radio power supply. Also on the cable connection to the house. > > And then disconnect switches on everything that plugs into the radio, > including coax, USB, Ethernet, headphones, keys, power, etc., because induced > voltage within the house can also be a problem. > > So what would be nice would be a single box, controlled by the radio power > switch, with relay disconnect of “anything you can think of that has a wire > on it." > > Doug, W0UHU ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected]
