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[TowerTalk] LIGHTNING STRIKE

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Subject: [TowerTalk] LIGHTNING STRIKE
From: SE060676@shellus.com (Effinger SH (Sam) @MSXSOPC)
Date: Wed, 17 Sep 1997 09:34:34 -0500
About 2 weeks ago I got struck by lightning and have a comment or  two.

- it seems as if the top Cushcraft 402-cd 40 meter beam got hit...with a
pair of  field glassed I can see one trap that if all frayed....I think
the Wire man makes some kind of  frizzy to reduce the static build up on
antennas.  I plan on buying some for the top beam.   This is the second
402-cd which I have taken down with a bad trap from lightning but the
SWR still was good!!! 
Soooo is you think your 40 meter beam isn't what it used to be ...get
out the old field glasses and have a look.


Also i had a ton of Polyphasor stuff installed at base of the tower in a
real cool 
aluminum box.  It looks great if I say so  myself..the only problem is
my tower is 100 feet from the shack and the folks at Ployphasor clearly
say this is a no
no....SINGLE POINT GROUND AND ALL THAT...
There was enough differential on the rotor leads to cause some minor
damage
I knew better but just thought it looked neat having all the Polyphasor
mounted at the bottom of the tower...

STEP #2         I will leave the Ployphasor stuff at the base of the tower but
install additional polyphasor stuff where all the coax and cables come
into the house...I also will put all incoming control leads on
Jones/Cinch plugs for quick disconnect ..I put a piece of 3/4  4x8
plywood on a back wall and painted it gray and will mount all the
switching on it..

When I am done I won't have any cables or coax that go to the radio room
that can't be disconnected and will have Ployphasor "STUFF" on
everything...

This note is long and hastily written but might help someone avoid
damage...

Thanks  73/Sam  K9SD 
Sam Effinger
SIET- Utilities


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