[Elecraft] MY SECOND K2

[Paul Bruneau]

On Aug 30, 2005, at 4:18 AM, Nick Waterman wrote:

> Bill Coleman wrote:
>>> Antennas where disconnected and the house next door took the direct  
>>> hit
>>> and blew a big chunk out of the back of the house.
>> Don't just disconnect your antennas - GROUND them.
>> Possibly would have saved your rig.
>
> Serious?
>
> What's more likely to be hit by lightning? A big, high-up, earthed 
> conductor, or a big, high-up conductor who's potential is allowed to 
> drift around a bit?
>
> In fact, when scientists want to study lightning, don't they do it by 
> attaching earthed wires to fireworks and shooting them into 
> thunderclouds?
>
> You might be right, but I'd like to understand why - it sounds like 
> you'd be making an almost ideal lightning target   :-)

I think it's already a target, being a conductor in the sky and all, 
and nothing short of taking it down will change that (the lightning 
would much rather go through metal for some distance rather than air).

The question is, is it a target that is open at the bottom, very near 
your rig, with lightning shooting out of it across your desk, looking 
for a place to go?

Or is it a target that is grounded at the bottom, giving the lightning 
someplace to go that isn't your rig?

That's how I think of it, but having said all that, I'm in a nice low 
area that never ever gets struck, so I don't worry about it.