I'm not sure exactly where I should post this, but suspect that this
group probably has more relevant expertise than most, so please bear
with me.
In the last year, I have had two expensive episodes. In both cases, my
transceiver's RS-232 transceiver was fried during a lightning storm, and
several knowledgeable people suggested a difference in chassis potential
between computer and transceiver as the reason. Their prescription for
avoiding a repetition was simple - connect the chassis of all of the
units to a single-point ground.
My solution - which I'm asking people to critique - was to fabricate an
L-shaped, roughly 3x5 foot ground bus made from 3/4" copper tubing,
which I mounted on the back of my L-shaped operating desk. All joints
are silver-soldered. I then connected each of the affected units to the
bus with very short and heavy stranded wire, and connected the end of
the bus to my grounded shack entry panel (in a double-hung window).
The DC resistance of the ground bus is very low, but the length
approximates a quarter wave on 10 meters, and with the units connected
near the ends of the bus, I wonder if I'm feeling a false sense of
security about the likely behavior of the bus during a nearby lightning
event. Would I be better off (or no better) running heavy conductors
from each unit to the entry panel, even if they would have to be
similarly long? Or should I just give up and plan on disconnecting the
RS-232 connection whenever weather approaches?
73, Pete N4ZR
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