On Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:43:39 -0500, Pete Smith wrote:
> I disconnect by
>pulling the plugs from the inside - never had anything more dramatic
>than an arc-over of a barrel connector.
That's the right way to do it! If you simply disconnect on the other side
of the panel (leaving the antennas ungrounded), there's always the chance
(and a good chance) that a strike will find it's way to ground via a path
that you don't like. When you leave it grounded but disconnect the gear,
it's still the desired path.
FWIW -- a second floor shack is no less lightning safe than a basement
shack if it's grounded properly. It sounds like what you've done is
"proper" -- you've got all your stuff bonded together inside the shack,
and you've given lightning a good path to earth. It's NOT the potential
between lightning and the EARTH that damages things, it's the potential
either at the terminals of your equipment or BETWEEN pieces of equipment.
Polyphasers (and other arrestors) take care of the potential AT the
terminals, and BONDING reduces the voltage BETWEEN the equipment.
73,
Jim K9YC
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