[Elecraft] K2/100 GOOD, Lightning BAD!

Sat Jun 1 04:10:01 2002

On Fri, 31 May 2002 [email protected] wrote:

> K2 #2644 continues to be aligned!
> 
> There is serious lightning here in the Philly area right now, so #2644 is

Seeing this reminded me of something that is or SHOULD be quite obvious to
everyone on the list but can not be stressed enough.  Folks, your
antenna(s) will pick up copious amounts of EMF in the presence of
lightning, even if it's not close enough to hear/see.

Case in point:  A fellow HAM friend came over to my house this evening for
a cookout and to check out K2/100 #2490 + 540ft loop antenna combo that
we're going to be using for field day.  When we planned this at about 3pm
or so, I hooked up the loop feedline to the tuner (I generally ALWAYS
disconnect feedlines when not in use) and tuned up on 1.880 so I would be
ready to show off the top-band performance of the loop later in the
evening when my friend arrived.  The sky was clear, not a cloud in site.  
About 5pm, my friend called to tell me he was en-route and driving through
a storm some 20 miles away from me.  Again, not a cloud in the sky over my
QTH, bright sun at that.  Still, as a precaution, I went down into the
antenna patch room to disconnect the feedlines.  Long story short, I got
knocked across the room by a lightning strike some 20 miles away that the
loop picked up.  This was NOT static buildup on the antenna.  The first
thing I do prior to connecting or disconnecting antennas is short them to
ground for a moment to avoid just such static issues.

Other than having the bajeebies shocked/scared out of me, no harm was done
to anything.  It could have been much worst though.

I just thought I would pass this along as a reminder as we enter the
summer storm season.

Also, does anyone know where I can get a nice "quick disconnect/short to
ground" system for balanced feedline?  Something on the order of a large
knife switch?  If I'm off base on this being effective, someone please let
me know.

73 de John - KC4KGU
K2/100 #2490