[Elecraft] Antenna static charge precautions - any tips?

[Scott Monks]

>________________________________
> From: Don Wilhelm <w3fpr at embarqmail.com>
>
>I do not understand your concern for the K3.  The KAT3 was working to 
>produce a low SWR (and a 50 ohm load) for the K3, so that condition was 
>apparently satisfied.  The high voltage condition existed only at the 
>antenna which was not resonant at the frequency that it was used on.
>Sometimes the ATU does not adjust the SWR to 1:1, or at least not until I manually push the button.  These times the SWR may be 3:1 or a little more--I don't know why it doesn't always adjust the SWR, but everything seems to be working ok in general, but may be that the antenna still is too low and sometimes interacts with the roof.  Why not always?  Don't know, I just observe!

My concern is because I was told by several, including the manufacturer of the antenna, that the discharge tube will burn out if it faces more than about 3:1 SWR.  The ATU, if you view it as a black box, has the radio side at 1:1 but the antenna side is at the higher SWR.  My concern is, if the gas tube in the radio is on the high SWR side it will actually be exposed to the higher SWR--will that also cause it to be burned out?

I could just becrazy (happens often!) but I don't want my radio to be damaged because of my stupidity!


73.
Scott