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[TowerTalk] Routing Cables - Tower to shack

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] Routing Cables - Tower to shack
From: W8JI@contesting.com (Tom Rauch)
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 20:42:29 -0400
>      So I conclude that lightning energy impinging on a buried coax cable
> will at most have a surface/shield current flowing on it, which can be
> shunted to ground by a properly applied ground connection at the SPG panel
> outside my house/shack. 

That is generally the case, the exception would be if the shield had 
a high resistance or open connection...or of course if you had a 
large antenna hanging on the cable that was not balanced for DC.

Since lightning is like RF, it tends to follow the surface of 
conductors because that is the area enclosed by the fewest lines 
of flux (lowest impedance).

Absolutely the best thing is disconnecting the antennas and power 
line cables from you station when not in use. Don't depend on 
lightning arrestors!

I have a dislike for lightning arrestors, because I field about one or 
two calls a month from people who have amplifier problems caused 
by lightning arrestor problems.



73, Tom W8JI
W8JI@contesting.com 

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