[ICOM] HA: Oh NO!!!!

[Gary Fiber]

On 4/25/2012 9:25 AM, Vladimir Sidarau wrote:
> 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
>
Vladimir,

When I worked at Icom I once talked to a poor soul who had his rig 
inside of a box.
That boxed rig was sitting against an electrical outlet and near some 
metal that was grounded, maybe a heating register etc.
Lightning hit the power line, blew through the outlet, the box, his rig 
and to the grounded metal so he told me. Of course damaging the rig.
I said bury a nice thick plastic box in the back yard and next time it 
starts storming place your rigs in it.

Yes even a connected ground wire to the radio can or will cause you 
issues during a lightning storm.

  In eastern Washington they get some dust storms, those will do the 
same damage as lightning.
-- 
Gary Fiber K8IZ
GROL PG-19-6691 with Shipboard Radar Endorsement
Washington State Resident