[ADXA] Antennas & lightning

[J Ferguson]

Jussi,

Lighting is a fickle beast. The energy potential in lighting far exceeds the rated handling capability of polypahsers, and despite our best efforts to ground and control the path of a strike the risk of it finding it’s way to my equipment is too great.
I always disconnect my attendants and radios (when I am in a position to do so) to reduce the likelihood of a direct of nearby strike causing equipment damage. My antenna coax is place the open end in plastic lawn and garden waterproof extension cord covers when disconnected. This provides me (perhaps a false sense of security) with trying to make sure the antenna and coax being in a float state for the energy of a strike to travel. It also helps to keep me from having the coax accidentally being kicked or moved and creating a possible ground path.

What I use for covering the coax: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Twist-and-Seal-0-5-ft-Plastic-Cord-Organizer/1000132801

Sounds like your shack is outside your home, have you thought about setting up a remote disconnect system?

Others thought’s on this topic?

73,
J Ferguson
N5LKE

> On Jul 13, 2025, at 9:58 AM, Jussi Eloranta <eloranta at aa6kj.hopto.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi, 
> 
> The weather has been pretty rough at least here in the NE corner. Lightning on and off on almost all days. I have been running back and forth between the house and the shack disconnecting and reconnecting antennas & power. The weather forecasts have been pretty useless with these storms. They appear quickly and are gone quickly. 
> 
> My question is as follows. With proper grounding and polyphasers on coaxes (+ surge protectors on power), do you guys disconnect antennas & power during storms? In CA lightning is rather rare and this was not an issue over there. I feel that here I have the radios disconnected most of the time! And my K4 died mysteriously during a recent storm with only the ground connected. It is possible that lightning can get in through the ground too... Fortunately Elecraft was pretty quick to fix it. 
> 
> Jussi (aa6kj) 
> 
> PS. I am headed to Finland to attend the annual SRAL summer meeting. Hopefully the weather is calmer there... Great to see some old friends over there.
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