One problem is that the Polyphaser suppressors are not weatherproof. That
means you have to build a weatherproof enclosure of some sort for them at
the top of the tower.
I didn't put a suppressor at the top of the tower (the rotor is at the
bottom of my rotating tubular.) I put one at the base of the tower and one
at the entry panel (>250' apart.) I guess I'm vulnerable to the coax running
down the tower being fried by a strike, but the cost of that coax is less
than a suppressor. If I lived in a lightning-prone area, I would probably
put one at the top of the tower.
My main concern is protecting the inhabitants of my home, the house, my
expensive electronics, and the nearly 2000' of coax and control cables
running in conduit to the tower (in that order.) Yes, disconnecting the
cables from the house would do that, but there are lots of cables and what
happens if I'm not around when that freak lightning storm happens by?
73, Dick, WC1M
>SNIP
>
>When I installed my tower and grounding system, I bugged two good friends
>(and PolyPhaser engineers) for help every step of the way. On the subject
>of the number and position of lightning protectors for coax and control
>cables, their response was:
>
>Coax: Three suppressors per cable. One at the top of the tower, one at
>the bottom of the tower where it makes the 90 degree bend to go to the
>shack, and one at the ground window entering the shack.
>
>Control Cables: Two suppressors per cable. One at the top of the tower
>and one at the ground window entering the shack.
>
>>IMHO, if the base of the tower is more than 75' from the entry point to
the shack, even if >>and the cables are buried, you should put a suppressor
at the base of the tower AND at the >>entrance to the shack.
--
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