[HCRA] Fw: KB6NU's December 2013 Column: Protect your gear from ESD

[Larry Krainson]

Hi, all--

Here's my December 2013 column.

73!

Dan KB6NU


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Protect your gear from ESD

Electrostatic discharge, or ESD for short, has been a concern for anyone 
involved in electronics ever since we made the transition from vacuum tubes 
to transistors. I was schooled about ESD when I worked as a test engineer 
for a company called Doric Scientific shortly after I got out of engineering 
school, and I wrote about it when I was an editor for Test&Measurment World 
magazine back in the 1990s. If anything, it's even more of a concern today 
as electronic components get ever smaller.

In 1991, Bryan P. Bergeron, NU1N, published a two-part series on ESD (part 
1: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/tis/info/pdf/9104019.pdf, part 
2: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/tis/info/pdf/9105028.pdf) in 
QST. His suggestions about how to prevent ESD damage are as good now as they 
were 20 years ago:

  - Consider using a room humidifier to increase the relative humidity in 
your shack, or wherever you work on electronic equipment to 65% RH or 
higher.
  - Use grounded wrist straps when handling ESD-sensitive devices.
  - Use grounded, anti-ESD work mats when working on electronic equipment.
  - Use a grounded soldering iron and anti-static tools.
  - Use anti-static bags and containers for storing and transporting 
electronic equipment.
  - Connect the chassis of all your gear to a good earth ground.
  - Consider purchasing a desktop ionizer to neutralize static buildup on 
your workbench.

I might also add consider grounding the chairs that you use in your shack or 
discharging yourself after getting up from the chair in your shack. I know 
that the worst electrostatic discharges that I experience  are after I get 
up from my chair. You can even buy ESD-safe chairs 
(http://www.all-spec.com/products/Benches_and_Chairs%7CChairs_and_Accessories%7CCHR-00/), 
but they are kind of expensive.

Personally, I use an anti-static mat that I originally purchased for use 
with a computer keyboard and a wrist strap that was given to me by an ESD 
consultant when I worked for the magazine. I use these religiously when 
building kits or working on any solid-state gear.

It's not hard to find anti-static products. RadioShack sells a wrist strap 
for only $1.23 
(http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103245)! You can 
find a whole range of anti-static products on Amazon, too. Wherever you get 
them, they're a good investment.

===================================================

When he's not worrying about ESD, Dan, KB6NU enjoys teaching amateur radio 
classes and working CW on the HF bands. For more information about his 
operating activities and his "No-Nonsense" series of amateur radio license 
study guides, go to KB6NU.Com or e-mail cwgeek at kb6nu.com.


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