I've been reading all the grounding discussion here and just want to
add another comment about lightning strikes and equipment damage
from the "other side".
1) It is inevitable that if you live somewhere where there are thunderstorms,
there will be lightning strikes at some point that are close enough to your
ham station to damage or destroy equipment.
2) Every year starting in the spring, the slow parade of lightning damaged
equipment sent to us for repair and/or evaluation begins. Make sure
you have insurance, and make sure your insurance carrier understands
ham radio equipment. Countless times we've heard stories of battles
with insurance companies over fixing and/or replacing lightning
damaged ham gear. I've also heard plenty of them that are a
variation of "gee, I called them right up and they paid it off without
any difficulty". This usually boils down to how well informed your
agent is prior to you having a claim.
3) Unhook everything when you leave the radio room! Yes, this is
an enormous hassle. I agree. I do it every time I leave the radio
room. We do it every time we walk out the door at Ten-Tec to
leave work for the day. This summer, when the vertical antenna on
the lawn at Ten-Tec took a lightning strike....no equipment damaged!
4) Don't be lulled into a false sense of security by having everything
"grounded". Lightning loves ground - and anything connected to it.
We've seen transceivers completely destroyed that were connected
to nothing other than RF ground at the time of a lightning strike.
Spring is coming - let's all keep our equipment (and ourselves) intact!
73
Scott Robbins, W4PA
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Ten-Tec, Inc., 1185 Dolly Parton Pkwy, Sevierville, TN 37862 USA
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Ten-Tec manufactures amateur radio equipment, military and com-
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facility supplying metal and plastic injection mold industries.
Potential tool and die, custom enclosure or communications
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