[Elecraft] K3/100 -Second floor- no RF ground ??

[Don Wilhelm]

Steve,

That is a bit of a strange question - because I never though of my 
antenna wires as being a conductor for lightning.  While the antenna 
wires will pick up lightning surges, I don't think that is what is being 
considered.  What they are talking about is how to dissipate whatever 
lightning surge that makes it into the shack to ground.  For that - yes, 
you would use solid conductor (of heavy guage) wire, or better yet flat 
copper strap with its large surface area for the station safety 
ground.   Conduct the energy out of the shack and into the earth ground 
where it can dissipate.  The greater earth surface that you can 
distribute that energy, the better - be that several connected ground 
rods separated by twice their length or a system of buried conductors 
like a perimeter wire around the building where the shack is housed.

In fact, I would think that an antenna that has higher resistance to 
lightning surge is better - the strength of the surge will be reduced by 
the time it reaches the shack.  The path from the shack to your 
lightning protection ground is a different matter, and should be low 
impedance at all frequencies if that is possible - it is not, so we do 
the best we can with conductors having greater surface area and plenty 
of conducting capability for high currents as well.

So stranded wire is OK for antennas, but not for the run from the 
station to the safety ground.

73,
Don W3FPR

Steve Ellington wrote:
> Speaking of lightning grounds. MFJ says use soild wire or flat copper for 
> ground wire and never use stranded or braided wire. They claim the latter 
> has high impedance to lightning.
> Ok, fine....so if my antenna is stranded wire, does it have high impedance 
> to lighting? Would it be less safe to make ones antenna from solid 
> conductors? Yes...a weird question but it's been bugging me.
> Steve
> N4LQ
>   
>