[Elecraft] Wire size for the ground on the KX2

[Fred Jensen]

But be wary however.  That, in itself, may not and often does not offer 
any protection at all. Each little charge from rain or snow static may 
be minuscule, but they charge the input capacitance of the device in the 
radio and eventually it breaks downbetween the input and the chassis. 
Just grounding the chassis or ground plane on a PCB does nothing to 
change that, it's the charge across the input that matters.

I believe, but do not know for sure, that Elecraft designs all have a 
static bleed across the antenna connection.  Possibly someone who knows 
can enlighten all the rest of us. If you want to be sure and don't want 
to take your radio apart, wire a 100K-200K 1/8 W resistor across a 
PL-259 [or BNC].  Put a T-adapter onto the radio, resistor on one leg, 
antenna on the other.

A number of years ago, our Cal QSO crew in Alpine county fried two 
PROIII's from snow static for lack of a bleed. Total ham experience on 
the crew was in the 300 year range ... You'd think someone would 
havethought of it. [:-)

73,

Fred ("Skip") K6DGW
Sparks NV USA
Washoe County DM09dn

On 6/17/2017 8:13 AM, Stephen Hanes wrote:
> Jim Brown,
>
> Another reason for connecting a ground wire to ‘mother earth’ would be a variation on your reason, and that would be to provide a means to discharge excess charge (‘static electricity’)  before it can damage your equipment. This buildup of charge can occur if the antenna is subjected to only moderate winds, even if no thunderstorm is nearby.
>
> 73,
> Steve Hanes, K4VWS
>