[Elecraft] Automatic lightning protection for radios

[Lyn Norstad]

We had a direct strike a few years back, and the results were interesting.  In most cases a gap of an inch or less vs. a direct connection made a huge difference.  The lightning took the easiest path to ground every time.  But that's the key ... you can't just "open" the line, it needs to be switched to a ground connection.  Not even the quality of ground you need for RFI, noise, etc ... just a decent ground.

73
Lyn, W0LEN

-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of John Simmons
Sent: Monday, January 18, 2021 6:01 PM
To: Elecraft Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Automatic lightning protection for radios

Let's think about this. The difference of potential between cloud and 
ground supports an arc of hundreds of feet. You are suggesting putting a 
switch in line with a wire that connects to the radio to 'protect' it. 
Won't the lightning just jump the open switch contacts?


-- 
73,
-de John NI0K


Douglas Hagerman via Elecraft wrote on 1/18/2021 12:39 PM:
> As I understand it, there should be a multi-level defense.
>
> Direct bonding to ground rods for any towers or support poles, plus the standard “automatic” grounding for the antenna wires using those things with the little metal chips in a tube, plus lots of ground rods, plus bonding of the antenna ground system to the household electric ground. All done outside the building.
>
> Household surge protector in the breaker box, plus perhaps two more in series with the radio power supply. Also on the cable connection to the house.
>
> And then disconnect switches on everything that plugs into the radio, including coax, USB, Ethernet, headphones, keys, power, etc., because induced voltage within the house can also be a problem.
>
> So what would be nice would be a single box, controlled by the radio power switch, with relay disconnect of “anything you can think of that has a wire on it."
>
> Doug, W0UHU