[TenTec] OT: Lightning and Grounds

[Mike Hyder -N4NT-]

Reminds me of the phrase, "Lightning follows the path of least resistance."

That phrase is true but I believe lightning follows all the other paths, 
too.

73, Mike N4NT

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Detweiler" <rdetweil at hotmail.com>
To: <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2005 10:54 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] OT: Lightning and Grounds
-------
1. I've often wondered what would happend with a lightning strike nearby
and everything connected together (as at my QTH): coax feed line ground
block; phone; AC main; AC outlet strip for radios; radios' bus bar ground.
-------

If the path to ground has less resistance than through your equipement, then
lightning won't go through your station to get there.  A well thought out
system will divert the lightning strike to ground where it belongs....

I use a vertical and a dipole on the fence.  I beleive my system has taken a
couple of lightning hits.  The hits so far have resulted in no damage at all
to my radios, antennas or feed lines.  The last hit had so much E wave that
I lost my home network,  had to replace 1 of the high speed switches and two
lan cards in PCs..    No damage at all to anything else.  I don't think the
lighting is hitting my antennas or house.  I think it is hitting directly on
my grounding system......

My lightning protection system includes several ground rods at the antennas
and at the entry point, then 1 foot long copper pipes drove into the ground
about 8 foot apart all the way around the house with bare coper wire between
all of the ground rods and copper stakes.  by the way the extra grounding
adds a couple of S units on the signal reception too.  Then lightning
arestors for 2Kw on the feed line at the antenna ground and radial system
and also at the entry point grounds of the house.    Over kill maybee, but
seems to work.  A few good articles shows how all this comes together...

Best wishes,
Rich
K5SF