[Elecraft] Open wire feeder protection

[Stuart Rohre]

Ken, I have to respectfully disagree that properly sized resistors would 
"mess up the tuning" of the antenna and feeders.

Our radio club has operated up to 5 transmitters at Field Days, with 100,000 
ohm, 2 watt carbon resistors on the 450 ohm feeders, one from each side to a 
ground rod to bleed off wind static, and storm static buidup, if a 
thunderstorm passes by.  It has, the bleed offs worked, and we have not lost 
a rig.  The tuning with or without the resistors is the same on the tuners, 
as long as the impedance is 10 to 100 times that on the feeder.  We go for 
the higher value, but it bleeds the static before it gets to arc over 
potentials.

The rigs we operated at 100 watts output max with no problems with the 
resistors as described.  Carbon rather than wire wound prevents resonance 
problems.

Stuart
K5KVH