[CQ-Contest] Carrying rig on airliner (ESD protection)?

[DavidHarper at tx.slr.com]

> If you're serious about protecting against static damage, the pink
> stuff is inadequate because it doesn't shield against external static
> fields.  All it does is not generate static on its own.  It can't
> shield against whatever nasty little static-generators are packed
> right next to your radio.  The conductive black stuff is the best.  If
> you don't have access to it, wrap the radio in aluminum foil and then
> you can package it in anything you like, including clear bubble wrap.
> And keep yourself grounded while you're doing all this, of course,
> including unwrapping the radio.
> 
I have worked in electronics manufacturing for the past 20 years and
have been the ESD auditor for ten years.  I really don't think there is
any danger in wrapping a modern rig in whatever you want to wrap it in.
All of the ESD "Standards" (EIA, EOS/ESD Association, etc.) stress
grounding and/or shielding unprotected electronics, but once the
electronics are inside their casing they are safe if the gear has been
designed properly.  That is why the factory packaging material on almost
anything you can buy today is made of normal plastic and styrofoam -
that stuff that your ham gear was shipped in generates huge amounts of
static, but it shouldn't hurt the rig. Of course, when you go to a
hamfest and see someone selling computer motherboards wrapped in
SaranWrap, now that is another thing entirely!!
73, Dave WD5N  < DavidHarper at tx.slr.com >





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