Topband: Lightning protectors

[Gary Smith]

I have several lightning protectors from Industrial Communications 
Engineering and need to install them in my coax now that I've 
relocated back to CT. I had replaced the original connectors with N 
connectors when that was all I used years ago. As I recall, they were 
made in part of of a gas tube and a toroid choke. There may be other 
components but I don't recall them. (I will open them to replace the 
connectors and let you know what I find).

I remember ICE telling me that the choke was to drain accumulating 
electrons from the antenna to ground making the antenna less of a 
target for lightning strikes. They were quite direct in saying their 
protectors would work under most severe conditions and was willing to 
give their products a go.

I had all of my control lines and coaxs' protected by ICE devices and 
being in Illinois at the time, was subjected to many instances of 
lightning. My neighbor was also a ham and our antennas were less than 
100' apart. My tower was 120' to the top and his was I figure about 
40' tall. His FT1000 was ruined by a nearby lightning strike and my 
corsair, 220 and 2M rigs were unaffected and were connected during 
the same storm.

Gary
KA1J

No affiliation with ICE other than paying full price for all their 
products.