And on that score, the ARRL's insurance covers lightning damage (and just
about any other kind) to your radio gear. I haven't had a claim yet, so
can't tell you how they are on that front, but I've had coverage now for
a couple of years.
73, Duane
On Mon, 22 Jan 2001 13:06:13 -0500 "Ten-Tec Inc. Amateur Radio Sales"
<sales@tentec.com> writes:
>
> I've been reading all the grounding discussion here and just want
> to
> add another comment about lightning strikes and equipment damage
> from the "other side".
>
> 1) It is inevitable that if you live somewhere where there are
> thunderstorms,
> there will be lightning strikes at some point that are close enough
> to your
> ham station to damage or destroy equipment.
>
> 2) Every year starting in the spring, the slow parade of lightning
> damaged
> equipment sent to us for repair and/or evaluation begins. Make
> sure
> you have insurance, and make sure your insurance carrier
> understands
> ham radio equipment. Countless times we've heard stories of
> battles
> with insurance companies over fixing and/or replacing lightning
> damaged ham gear. I've also heard plenty of them that are a
> variation of "gee, I called them right up and they paid it off
> without
> any difficulty". This usually boils down to how well informed your
> agent is prior to you having a claim.
>
> 3) Unhook everything when you leave the radio room! Yes, this is
> an enormous hassle. I agree. I do it every time I leave the radio
> room. We do it every time we walk out the door at Ten-Tec to
> leave work for the day. This summer, when the vertical antenna on
> the lawn at Ten-Tec took a lightning strike....no equipment
> damaged!
>
> 4) Don't be lulled into a false sense of security by having
> everything
> "grounded". Lightning loves ground - and anything connected to it.
> We've seen transceivers completely destroyed that were connected
> to nothing other than RF ground at the time of a lightning strike.
>
> Spring is coming - let's all keep our equipment (and ourselves)
> intact!
>
> 73
> Scott Robbins, W4PA
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> Ten-Tec, Inc., 1185 Dolly Parton Pkwy, Sevierville, TN 37862 USA
> Contact Mon-Fri Eastern: Office/Tech (865) 453-7172 9 am-5 pm.
> Repair (865) 428-0364 8-4. Sales (800) 833-7373 9 am-5:30 pm.
> Fax (865) 428-4483 24 hrs. Visit us at <http://www.tentec.com>
>
> --->--->---> Please note: E-mail <sales@tentec.com> for sales
> and general product info only. We presently do not offer
> repair, parts, or kit building tech support by electronic mail,
> please telephone (865) 428-0364 or (865) 453-7172.
>
> Ten-Tec manufactures amateur radio equipment, military and com-
> mercial use HF radio equipment, custom aluminum and steel
> enclosures and has an on-premises, fully equipped tool and die
> facility supplying metal and plastic injection mold industries.
> Potential tool and die, custom enclosure or communications
> electronics customer? Contact us with your needs.
>
>
>
> --
> FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/tentec
> Submissions: tentec@contesting.com
> Administrative requests: tentec-REQUEST@contesting.com
> Problems: owner-tentec@contesting.com
>
>
Duane A. Calvin, AC5AA
Austin, Texas
ac5aa@juno.com -or- ac5aa@earthlink.net
Day: dacalvin@us.ibm.com
--
FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/tentec
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