[Elecraft] Automatic lightning protection for radios

[Lou Mecseri]

Question:

By grounding your antenna do you make it more attractive to a lightning 
strike?

73, Lou KE1F

On 1/23/2021 7:53 AM, Lyn Norstad wrote:
> 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?
>
>