I always look at lightning protection methods as "mitigation" systems.
That is "to minimize damage" to the structure or equipment. As to
totally preventing damage........that is old ham lore.
73
Bob, K4TAX
Message: 27
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2021 13:47:35 +0000 (UTC)
From: Don Roberts<[email protected]>
To:"[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Subject: [Elecraft] lightning protection
Message-ID:<[email protected]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
In addition to everything else suggested, I disconnect all coax cables outside
my home and let them lay on the ground. I? use a trailer type connector to
unplug my antenna rotator. I further use a heavy duty DPDT switch for my full
wave 80 meter loop, not to ground but to open. (lightning doesn't see my
antennas any more than the coffee cup in my hand)?
Keep in mind that I live on the ridge in south central Florida running down the
center of the state from Lake Wales to the north and sloping to the south into
the Everglades. (From Tampa to here is the lightning capital of the western
hemisphere) We are second in the world to a location in south eastern Africa
for lightning strikes.
In the 25 years I have lived here we have had several hams get hit by lightning that
followed code to a "T" including a perimeter wire completely surrounding their
home and tied to the main electrical ground, towers, polyphasers and or lightning
arrestors bounded to at least 10 foot rods going into our sandy soil.??
In the most recent hit, a good friend and local ham in Lake Placid had his home
burn completely to the ground, with his wife just narrowly escaping the
inferno. He had everything grounded correctly including a 4 gauge perimeter
wire completely surrounding his home. John's 120 foot tower was not hit and his
coax cables and pl259/s were not scorched.?
In his case the lightning hit the Duke power company line coming into his home
and exploded into his house with a massive hole, and according to the state
inspector it was textbook 101, blowing through all electrical outlets in his
home at the same time. His wife had less then 30 seconds to get out. By the
way, John KK4LI, installs towers, and antennas for a living. He also conducts
classes on lightning protection at the Tampa hamfest.??
Of further interest, our number one item for getting hit in our area seems to
be Dish and Direct satellite dishes.
Don,? W4CBS
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