[NJARC] question regarding long wire antennas

[Gerry Steffens]

The analogy to a spark plug is a good one.  However, maybe I am just a
wording junky but, if lightning strikes your antenna, the antenna is trashed
and so is the radio, TV or what have you.  The function of a (miss-named)
lightning arrestor is to bleed off static charges which can develop by wind,
rain, snow, etc. blowing or falling by the antenna.  The thinking, by some,
was that the charged antenna attracts lightning, maybe so maybe not, I am an
electrical engineer, not a meteorologist and more.  But, static charges and
sparks can and do wreck antenna coils in radios and more.

My first time, taking arrestors seriously was in the early 1950s as a kid
with a shortwave radio and antenna (Allied supplied an arrestor with the
antenna kit).  I was sitting in the living room and I kept hearing a snap
every few seconds.  After much searching for the cause, I found it.  The
night before we had experienced the beginning of a pretty wild storm (snow
storm - ice crystals and high wind).  Dad had disconnected the TV twin-lead
from the TV set and even unplugged it 'cause up front there had been a
couple of lightning flashes.  The snap was a static spark between the
exposed wires of the 300 ohm twin-lead of the TV antenna.  The next time at
the auto garage where dad worked I got to talk with the radio repairman
employed there.  He explained the definition of "snow static".  I went home
and installed the arrestor with a good ground!

  

-----Original Message-----
From: njarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:njarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Joe Giliberti
Sent: Friday, September 1, 2017 7:44 AM
To: New Jersey Antique Radio Club
Subject: [NJARC] question regarding long wire antennas

Just remember
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