Charles wrote:
Hey gang, lightning again.
Had a hit on my Hustler G-6 (base at 88 feet). Top alumn. tube is GONE.
Cant't find it on roof or earth! SWR and freq resonance is way off,
surprize. NO harm to coax, other antennas under, nor window patch
panel.
My point: My tower and coax system is as follows: No ground rods on
the
tower (just goes into concrete), coax comes down to a window patch
panel,
where all sockets are insulated from each other and just floating (no
arrestors, no spark gap, no direct grounding), and all coax lines, power
lines, ground lines, and phone lines to the gear fully disconnected and
moved away from inlets of same.
Now, I get the hit and only the top Hustler gets fried. Wuz I lucky or
maybe VUD's theory of antenna lightning protection worked--i.e., no
grounds, all floating, yields little path and little burning? de K4VUD
--------------------------------------------------------------
Charles I have to agree with Don. A strike that will vaporize, melt, or
knock off a top element and not enter the shack had to go some where ...
it just doesn't go off into space. I bet if you climb the tower and
inspect the feed line it is riddled with bulges and areas it left the
feed line. If not I bet that there are areas that it arced on the
inside. I have seen areas where lightning blew out 9913, RG-8, as well
as hard line in a strike.
I have not finished my installation yet but I have installed grounds and
poly-phasers. I have good home owners insurance but don't want to test
it out. Direct strikes can't be expected to end in no damage ... but
the grounding is as much to protect living occupants in the residence as
well as your home. I know that if I loose my radios thats one thing but
to loose my home is another. Talk to some of the firemen in your town
and ask them about lightning induced fires. Its ok if your awake and at
home but what about those other times???
You have an obligation to yourself to continue the hobby in a safe and
responsible way. We have an up hill battle convincing government and
neighbors that our "lightning rods" do not present a danger to ourselves
or our neighbors ... that's hard to do if we loose our home to a
strike.
This is not intended to be a flame ... you have been lucky to this point
... as I have but everytime I hear thunder my stomach knots up even with
all my preparations.
Good luck !!!
Steve
KD4WIW
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