[ICOM] HA: Oh NO!!!!

Wed Apr 25 12:25:47 EDT 2012

The fact that an antenna is disconnected does not mean anything for a static
discharge. The lighting strike affects any kind of wire. It is only you who
knows that your antenna is an antenna. The strike does not know it and does
not care. It hits everything conductible. Look at your chain being house
power network -> PS -> rig. Your rig is at the end of a long conductor,
therefore is gets a maximal potential against ground.
A rig can be pretty much protected against static discharge only if it is
disconnected from anything. For static sensitive rigs like IC-756Pro family
it is especially important.  

73,
Vladimir VE3IAE

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-----Исходное сообщение-----
От: icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net] От
имени Phil Krichbaum
Отправлено: April-25-12 11:27 AM
Кому: ICOM Reflector
Тема: Re: [ICOM] Oh NO!!!!

     I'm not sure if you mean 756 PRO, PRO II or PROIII. I know from first
hand experience that the PRO II and PROIII suffer this problem too easily
(IMHO) from ESD (electrostatic discharge). I had a new in the box PRO III
and in the first hour after I took it out of the box during which I made two
QRP QSOS and one at 100w, the TX power went to almost zero. At the time
there was not one cloud in the sky, no wind etc. The failure was some FETs
and diodes in the tuner and it was only after a few phone calls Icom agreed
to cover the repair under warranty! My antennas have less than 2:1 SWR.
     Another time I had a close lightening strike and my PROII was not
connected to an antenna and was off. It was off as was the Icom PS it was
connected to but it was plugged into the AC mains. The PROII was totaled but
I still use the same PS years later and it had no problems. Several other
items were damaged/destroyed (TV, answering machine, computer, well pump
relay) and it seems the damage came in the neutral side of the AC 117 line.
I've since had the power company install a "meter treaters" on my electric
meters and I've had no further problems even after a direct hit on the over
head feed to the house last summer but your results may vary. I'm not then
lone ranger with this type of Icom 756 problems and have no clue if it has
been taken care of with the newer Icom rigs.
     Phil N0KE

4/19/2012 12:22 PM, bonddaleena at aol.com wrote:
> Hi. I've been a reader of this site for quite some time. Last summer, I
took a 'close by' lightning hit. Flash and noise at same instant. I went
into the house and found a bunch of stuff damaged. I suspect it hit a nearby
AC line due to the following:
> It took out both of my rotor control boxes, Astron 50 Amp supply, TV, my
70 cm preamp, on a different tower, etc.
> I checked my favorite radio, my 756PRO, that I hand carried back from
Tokyo when they first came out. It is connected to a PS-55 which is plugged
into a large surge protector. Seemed OK.
> Yesterday, I went to call someone on 6M and noticed NO output. The
receiver is fine.
>
> ALL antennas were disconnected as usual, when not in use and the coax 
> pigtails were grounded. (I use hardline for most of my antennas}
>
> - no output on any band
> - ant OK
> - tried dummy load
> - used several different wattmeters
> - 'scope shows normal voice patterns
> - Po, SWR, etc non functional
> - tried master reset. no good.
>
> So, before I take a peak inside, any suggestions? I'd like to fix it
myself, if possible.
>
> This is strange because my mint 745 next to it did the same thing a few
years ago. I haven't bothered to even look at the 745 because the receiver
is also fine. I use it with receiving converters.
>
> Thank you!!!
>
> ron
> N4UE
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