[Elecraft] Ligntning protection

[Kurt Pawlikowski]

John, Dick, Dale, Et Al,

     Very interesting discussion! I'm sure this has come up before: Just 
one question: Where would one find good information on-line about proper 
grounding.

     Thanks!

     Regards,

     kurtt

     Kurt Pawlikowski
     The Pinrod Corporation
     kurtt at pinrod.com
     (773) 284-9500
     http://pinrod.com

On 4/13/2011 00:24, John K9UWA wrote:
> As Dale stated Polyphaser is the way to go guys.
>
> As to the RISK. I live in Northern Indiana where thunder and lightning are common many times per year. I have three
> towers with the top antenna at 175 foot level. Trees here barely make it to 70 feet. So I am IT. There is no DISCONNECT
> during such storms. If I ever disconnected this station it would take a couple weeks to do so. Longer to reconnect it. 5 rotors on the
> three towers. Twenty Aluminum Yagi antennas for 40-10 meters plus numerous wire antennas. Relay control lines to switch all this
> stuff.
>
> After a rather nasty strike back in 1988 when I first installed a good share of this stuff. Insurance claim was close to 10K. Insurance
> company said: We don't want you. We did find an Assigned Risk Company who took us. They said 90 days to either get all that
> stuff on the ground or install a commercial ground system.
>
> Yes its lots of work and no its not cheap but let me tell you it does WORK. As Dale stated the Tower has been direct hit many
> times since 1988. Nothing is ever disconnected. Zero Damage has happened. Yes there are 100 ground rods buried in my yard.
> Yes they are connected by 1200 feet of copper 3/8" ID Tubing. It has a lower inductance per foot than 2 inch wide copper strap.
> Plus its cheaper. Same stuff as used to hook up AC systems with. I thought I owned STOCK in Polyphaser for a while.
>
> Contesters maybe used to recognize my callsign K9UWA and today they will recognize K9NW Mike as he operates the station in
> many contests. All with today one little K3 radio. I operate it remotely during the winters from Florida myself.
>
> so YES you can protect your whole station if you are willing to spend a little money and do a little WORK. Certainly beats the
> alternative of trying to find all the things that are messed up after Mother Nature takes its course. The expense really isn't all that
> great when compared to the cost of the radios, amplifiers, computers, TV sets, refrigerators and other things that are blown up by
> the lightning hits.
>
> It is a scary spectacular display when the tower is hit just after dark. Once it happened when we had a birthday party here with
> about 40 friends present. About 1/2 of them were Hams. I think some needed a change of underwear afterwards.
>
> John k9uwa
> John Goller, K9UWA&  Jean Goller, N9PXF
> Antique Radio Restorations
> k9uwa at arrl.net
> Visit our Web Site at:
> http://www.JohnJeanAntiqueRadio.com
> 4836 Ranch Road
> Leo, IN 46765
> USA
> 1-260-637-6426
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>