[TowerTalk] Disconnecting cables and lightning (questions --

[Charles H. Harpole]

I too have wondered why one would ground one's incoming coax cables, thus
providing a much better lightning target than a "floating" situation.
Based on the reasoning, would lightning rather strike a well-grounded
vertical metal pole, or a dry fiberglass pole?  I opt for floating.

I guess that in the case of a very extensive ground field, like ones for
commercial tv towers?) the massive charge of a direct hit can be
dissapated with no harm, but I wonder if any normal ham will actually
spend the money and time to go to that extent.  Thus, for the "regular"
ham, isn't it better advice to float antenna coax incoming terminations? 
This is such a field of unknowns.  de K4VUD


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