[TenTec] Re: grounding

[Duane A Calvin]

And on that score, the ARRL's insurance covers lightning damage (and just
about any other kind) to your radio gear.  I haven't had a claim yet, so
can't tell you how they are on that front, but I've had coverage now for
a couple of years.  

        73,  Duane


On Mon, 22 Jan 2001 13:06:13 -0500 "Ten-Tec Inc. Amateur Radio Sales"
<sales@tentec.com> writes:
> 
> I've been reading all the grounding discussion here and just want 
> to
> add another comment about lightning strikes and equipment damage
> from the "other side". 
> 
> 1) It is inevitable that if you live somewhere where there are 
> thunderstorms,
> there will be lightning strikes at some point that are close enough 
> to your
> ham station to damage or destroy equipment. 
> 
> 2) Every year starting in the spring, the slow parade of lightning 
> damaged
> equipment sent to us for repair and/or evaluation begins.  Make 
> sure
> you have insurance, and make sure your insurance carrier 
> understands
> ham radio equipment.   Countless times we've heard stories of 
> battles
> with insurance companies over fixing and/or replacing lightning
> damaged ham gear.  I've also heard plenty of them that are a
> variation of "gee, I called them right up and they paid it off 
> without
> any difficulty".  This usually boils down to how well informed your
> agent is prior to you having a claim.  
> 
> 3) Unhook everything when you leave the radio room!  Yes, this is
> an enormous hassle.  I agree.  I do it every time I leave the radio
> room.  We do it every time we walk out the door at Ten-Tec to 
> leave work for the day.  This summer, when the vertical antenna on
> the lawn at Ten-Tec took a lightning strike....no equipment 
> damaged!
> 
> 4) Don't be lulled into a false sense of security by having 
> everything
> "grounded".  Lightning loves ground - and anything connected to it.
> We've seen transceivers completely destroyed that were connected
> to nothing other than RF ground at the time of a lightning strike.
> 
> Spring is coming - let's all keep our equipment (and ourselves) 
> intact!
> 
> 73
> Scott Robbins, W4PA
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> Ten-Tec, Inc., 1185 Dolly Parton Pkwy, Sevierville, TN 37862 USA 
>   Contact Mon-Fri Eastern: Office/Tech (865) 453-7172 9 am-5 pm.  
>   Repair (865) 428-0364 8-4.  Sales (800) 833-7373 9 am-5:30 pm.
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> 
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>   repair, parts, or kit building tech support by electronic mail, 
>   please telephone (865) 428-0364 or (865) 453-7172.
> 
>   Ten-Tec manufactures amateur radio equipment, military and com-
>   mercial use HF radio equipment, custom aluminum and steel 
>   enclosures and has an on-premises, fully equipped tool and die
>   facility supplying metal and plastic injection mold industries.
>   Potential tool and die, custom enclosure or communications 
>   electronics customer?  Contact us with your needs. 
>   
>   
> 
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> 


Duane A. Calvin, AC5AA
Austin, Texas
ac5aa@juno.com -or- ac5aa@earthlink.net
Day:  dacalvin@us.ibm.com

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