[Elecraft] MY SECOND K2

[Bill Coleman]

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

> 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?

The only time I've suffered any lightning damage is when my antennas  
were disconnected for Field Day. It wasn't a direct hit, but an  
induced strike that took out about 45 feet of open wire line by  
vaporizing both conductors.

> In fact, when scientists want to study lightning, don't they do it  
> by attaching earthed wires to fireworks and shooting them into  
> thunderclouds?

Yes, they do.

> You might be right, but I'd like to understand why - it sounds like  
> you'd be making an almost ideal lightning target   :-)

I don't pretend to understand everything about lightning, since it is  
an odd subject. However, grounding lowers the effective height of the  
antennas by making it have the same potential as the ground.

A disconnected antenna can float and build up considerable charge,  
which will make it a target.

Some contesters in the mid-west have told tales of big storms  
approaching, only to have the lightning stop as it passes over their  
multiple, grounded tower installations and then resume after it  
drifts past. The grounding tends to bleed off any charge that would  
preceed a strike.

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901