[Elecraft] A dumb question about lightning

[john simmons]

I especially agree with your last sentence. However I like to describe it as:
	"Every device is at the same potential".

Nothing will be damaged even if everything is at 20,000 volts- as you say, no current will flow.


-John NI0K

-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net <elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of Bill Frantz
Sent: Friday, August 4, 2023 3:32 PM
To: Elecraft List <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] A dumb question about lightning

While you are trying to make sense of the best practices lightning protection documents:

  N0AX’s ARRL book “Grounding and Bonding for the Radio Amateur”

  Motorola’s STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES FOR COMMUNICATION SITES
  https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/Lands_ROW_Motorola_R56_2005_manual.pdf

  K9YC’s Power, Grounding, Bonding, and Audio for Ham Radio.
  http://k9yc.com/GroundingAndAudio.pdf

There are a few items of AC electrical behavior to keep in mind:

Lightning is produced by a giant spark-gap transmitter. It is a VERY broad RF signal centered at about 1 MHz.

There’s no such thing as a wire at RF, they are all transmission lines. Everything has both inductance and capacitance. These inductances will affect the way grounding lines work.

Conductors at RF exhibit what is called the surface effect, where the current is limited to the surface of the conductor. This is why 50cm (2 inch) wide copper leads, with their large surface area, are recommended. (Note that the surface effect is also important for AC power distribution systems at 50 or 60 Hz.)

Proper bonding in the station can make all the equipment “float” at the same voltage above the local soil. If no current flows through the equipment, it will not be damaged.

73 Bill AE6JV


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