[Elecraft] Automatic lightning protection for radios, an off the wall idea

[Jim Brown]

This is VERY good advice. The most important thing we can do to minimize 
lightning damage is to seriously implement proper grounding and bonding 
in our stations and throughout our homes. N0AX's ARRL Book on the topic 
is a great reference; I collaborated with him on it. Also study the 
slides for talks I've done at west coast hamfests. Don't let the word 
"audio" in the link fool you. This is about EVERY element of grounding 
and bonding specifically for ham radio.

http://k9yc.com/GroundingAndAudio.pdf

Another VERY important thing is to NEVER use shunt mode (MOV) type surge 
protectors anywhere except at the Service Entrance (where power enters 
the building). MOVs are more likely to CAUSE destructive failure than to 
prevent it.

Surge-X, Brick Wall, and a third company whose name I've forgotten make 
series-mode surge protectors. They're more expensive, but a LOT cheaper 
than our radios. There's a brief discussion of series-mode vs shunt mode 
beginning on page 28 of this link

http://k9yc.com/SurgeXPowerGround.pdf

A far more extensive discussion begins with slide #69 in this link. It's 
by Andy Benton, a very good engineer who designed the Surge-X products. 
This is the first part of a 4-hour talk that Andy and I did at 
conventions for companies designing and installing professional audio 
and video systems in public buildings and for corporate operations.

http://k9yc.com/InfoComm-PowerSystems2012.pdf

My good friend Bill is right on about very high currents and voltages 
being induced on wiring inside our homes. In addition to antennas, 
lightning comes in on power lines, telephone lines, and CATV lines.

Finally, I want to emphasize what I said at the start about doing this 
VERY seriously. Lightning has a way of finding things we didn't do.

73, Jim K9YC

On 1/17/2021 9:19 PM, hb9cvq at hispeed.ch wrote:
> I think we need to divide protection into different topologies/ barriers/
> zones. This is  according to threat phenomena ( e.g. xxx kilo Amps to milli
> Amps and smaller ).
> 
> Threat levels need to be reduced step by step  and systematically.
> Surge Limiters / Filtering / Shielding / System Layout with minimizing
> coupling effects are part of this.
> 
> Protection against any threat level ( EMI energy / current / voltage /EM
> field derivatives)  can/should realistically and economically not be
> implemented just finally at the radio itself.
> 
> Lightning is first of all a more external system problem (Tower / Station
> Single Entry Panel Point / Cable- Layout, loop, spark over voltage /
> conductor melting/welding...).
> While lower threat levels, like adverse subsystem (shack) coupling of
> transients / continuous waves etc. -EMI/ESD Immunity- are certainly part of
> the good EMC radio/design .
> 
> Professional EMC Standards (EU-HAM Radio, EN ETSI  301783...
> 
> https://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_en/301700_301799/301783/02.01.01_60/en_301
> 783v020101p.pdf
> 
> 
> and specific System Experiencehttp://k9yc.com/publish.htm   -also from big
> contest stations-  tell you what to do in HAM Radio electronics.