I personally believe not in disconnection, but moving antenna connectors
to a good ground system. I use the multiple grounding blocks (#CQ857)
and quick disconnects from The Wireman.
That is not to ignore the fact that there is a spark gap at the base of
my Hy-Tower, Polyphaser protectors at the building entrances for all
coax, and spark plug arrestors (#CQ878) at the entrances on all my
ladderlines... However, I think that, contrary to popular belief, a
grounded antenna is LESS likely to take a direct hit, as it allows it to
"bleed off" charges in the air before they become huge.
Stuart Rohre wrote:
>Lynn makes a good point. Our club station helper grounded every rig
>negative and every chassis to earth bus. Of course there was coax to the
>VHF/UHF rig. The lightning surge came down the shield of the coax from the
>tower, into the radio on coax connector and back to AC ground thru the DC
>negative copper of the circuit board, (until that vaporized). We had
>created a ground loop. In this particular hit, the AC ground looked lower
>impedance than the bronze strap bus,and its connection to cold water pipe
>just outside the wall. (2 foot of braid to it).
>
>How you treat grounds can be a damaging situation.
>
>Total disconnection of the coaxes at entry to building when not in use would
>have make a bigger spark gap for the current to cross than the circuit board
>did.
>
>We had survived a direct hit on the power pole 100 feet across the parking
>lot some years before. The 65 foot tower usually discharges the
>surroundings to its earth rods.
>
>Stuart
>K5KVH
>
>
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>
>
>
>
--
Larry N8KU
w w w . l o n g w i r e . c o m
100% CW 100% HF
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