I have a 900Mhz link between my home and remote station - it is approximately
10 miles and not LOS. This has meant that I have had to use high gain antennas,
relatively high power and high antennas - the one at the remote site is ~300ft
AGL. (The tower is a 325ft former AM broadcast tower so is very well grounded.
The base insulator is bridged by a wide copper strap.)
The link antennas have amplifiers a few feet from them, and the antennas have
folded driven elements. The coax outer is securely connected to the tower at
top and bottom. In 12 years I have had two amplifiers fail, presumably due to
lightning. I have not had any failures of the equipment at the base of the
tower.
There is no surge protection at the amplifier/antenna, but there is at the base
of the tower and in the equipment room. I am debating whether I should try to
fit a protector at the amplifier? I guess it shouldn't hurt, but it also adds a
failure point and changing the discharge tube is nearly as bad as changing the
amplifier - climbers are very expensive - and I would probably have to bring
the whole lot to ground level to confirm what had failed.
Comments welcome.
Roger
VE3ZI
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