" Question: Does grounding your tower or metal mast increase the likelihood of it being hit by lightning?" Answer: One would hope would hope so.
There are several theories of lightning protection. Before I comment on those methods let me ask. Would you rather the lightning strike your antenna or your mast? If the antenna is struck your coax and everything attached or (usually) anything near your coax, is hosed. Even disconnect switches do not always protect. Conclusion it is much better to take the strike on the mast but if you can prevent the strike you are still better off. As a young boy I helped my grandfather install lightning rods on houses. There were two kinds of rods. One had a sharp point at the end and the other a big ball. The ball rods were considered to be superior because they usually took more strikes. Now we know that the pointed variety is superior because they bleed off charge preventing strikes. Take a close look at the popular video making the rounds showing the guys climbing a 1700'? tower. Did you notice all the sharply pointed objects on arms surrounding the top? Those are there to bleed off the charge. Final conclusion: Ground the mast and put a pointed lightning rod at the top. de Fred AE6QL. -----Original Message----- From: Steve Ellington [mailto:n...@carolina.rr.com] Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2011 12:28 PM To: Fred Townsend; 'Randy Moore'; Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Ligntning protection Question: Does grounding your tower or metal mast increase the likelihood of it being hit by lightning? I have a 50' metal mast holding up the center of a dipole. No antenna contacts the mast and the ant. is supported by rope. Should I drive in a ground rod just for the mast? If I do, would lightning be attracted to it then? It just seems like I'm inviting a hit by grounding it. Steve N4LQ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Fred Townsend" <ftowns...@sbcglobal.net> To: "'Randy Moore'" <wrmoor...@gmail.com>; <Elecraft@mailman.qth.net> Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 12:19 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Ligntning protection > Randy: > I can not speak to your local building codes but the rule of thumb is > lightning does not like to travel horizontally. That doesn't mean it won't > happen but usually lightning seeks the shortest path to ground. That > suggests you should connect to the closest ground (exception: any fuel > line). > If possible I would drive my own ground rod below the shack and use the > garage ground as well. There is no penalty for extra grounds. > > 73 > de AE6QL, Fred > > -----Original Message----- > From: Randy Moore [mailto:wrmoor...@gmail.com] > Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 8:15 AM > To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Ligntning protection > > Sorry if someone has already asked this. My shack is on the second floor > of > my home and is on the opposite corner of the house from where the > electrical > power entry and ground are located. However, the electrical panel is in > the > garage right below my shack. Can I connect my shack ground to the panel > ground instead of running a ~200' long line to the electrical ground on > the > other end of the house? > > Tnx es 73, > Randy, KS4L > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
