[Elecraft] Living with EMP'S

[robfrick7 at aol.com]

Pete,

I have a flex 1500 that took an EMP hit on the USB port last year. I disconnected
the antenna, but did not disconnect the flex from the laptop, with all equipment turned
off. The EMP wiped out the internal USB/serial converter inside of my 1500. 
I also did not have my plastic laptop grounded to the Flex. The ground wire was 
recommended to me by Flex.

Later, I bought a used/damaged Tentec Jupiter that had an EMP hit at the rigs serial port.
That hit killed the 'max-232' serial interface, Uart, and flash memory i.c's. Got the rig going.

So now, when I shut down my shack, 1st disconnect all serial/USB cables from all printers,
radios, and other equipment that is connected to the 120vac wiring in the shack, 2nd
pull my antenna coax from the last RF device (like my tuner (also I have the
feed line out to antenna(s) connected to a lightning ground)).
Now the lightning ground is separated from the house (shack) wiring ground.

Hope this helps, 

Bob, kb8kco, Elecrafter soon to be!!
 




-----Original Message-----
From: Pete Smith N4ZR <n4zr at contesting.com>
To: Elecraft List <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>