[Elecraft] K3 RS232 no data out

[Don Wilhelm]

Knut,

For those station installations that have adequate lightning protection 
implemented, it will not be necessary to disconnect anything except the 
antenna.
If one follows the recommendations of Ron Block in his 2002 QST 3 part 
articles on lightning protection, everything in the hamshack area 
*should* be at the same potential during a surge event.  That does mean 
providing protection for *all* lines (power, telco, ethernet, antennas, 
rotor control lines, etc) coming into the station at a single grounded 
entry panel, and bonding the enclosures of all equipment in the shack to 
a single common point which is then bonded to that shack entry grounded 
panel (which also must be connected to the utility entry ground).  Then 
I believe you can leave those miscellaneous cables connected and not 
experience a failure except that all bets are off for a direct strike.
All bets are off if you choose to do an incomplete job of equipment 
protection in the shack too.

The articles I refer can be downloaded from the ARRL website.  Do a site 
search on 'lightning protection'.

73,
Don W3FPR

ab2tc wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I am always amused when I see this advice. How many hams are actually doing
> this? Upstate NY is maybe not the worst place for thunderstorms, but we do
> get plenty. Were I to follow this advice, I would have no option but leaving
> the K3 unconnected as a rule and connect up all the wires (at least half a
> dozen) each time I use it. Access is difficult with the radio up against the
> back wall (mirror image back panel picture will come in very handy next time
> I do need to remove the radio from service for whatever reason). I am very
> loath to mess with the radio and its wires at all. For that very reason I
> have a second radio for taking places. Knock on wood, so far I have not have
> any damage to any radio from thunderstorms.
>
> AB2TC - Knut
>   
>