Re[2]: [TowerTalk] Lightning GROUND switch wanted RE:DE K0FF

[R. Otto]

Hello Tom,

You wrote.......

TR> What I do, since my house was here before the radios, is bring the
TR> telco and power feeds from outlets in the room to that common
TR> point. I keep those wires away from everything else. At that
TR> common point, absolutely everything is bypassed and grounded,  and
TR> then the leads leave there and distribute around the shack.

TR> The most damage I've ever had...even with the unwise practice of 
TR> leaving things connected (including modems) ....has been limited 
TR> to an occasional 2N3904 or 3055 transistor that drives the antenna 
TR> switching lines leaving the shack.

TR> It would be smarter to unplug and disconnect, but I almost always 
TR> don't do that. I have far too many cables and too much wiring.

I actually can't disconnect all my radios during a storm.  One of the
facets of this hobby that I really enjoy is emergency radio
communications during bad weather (ARES & RACES). I mean, what the
heck, gotta do something besides DX <G>  Anyway, I need to keep my
station open during the storm.  Any ideas from the group to minimize
problems??  One thing Polyphaser suggested was to side-mount a 2M
antenna on a tower, and put a sort of lightning rod above and below
the antenna that sticks out father than the antenna itself.  Doing
this would not affect the performance of the antenna, and would allow
a "hit" to go to ground via the tower legs.  Polyphaser explains that
a lighting strike hits in an arc radius of about 150', and if the
lightning rods above and below the side mounted antenna protrude at
least 6" beyond the antenna, the antenna has a 96% chance it will not
be struck by a direct hit.  (See page 2 & 3 of the Polyphaser book).
Anyone have any experience with this problem?  How do Y'all reduce
risk when you have to remain on the air?


73's from.......

R. Otto
N8NGA@one.net
Cincinnati, Ohio

**********************************************
DXCC 10M         ** DX is !! **        WAS 10M
       There is a very fine line between
         "HOBBY" and "MENTAL ILLNESS"
**********************************************
When trouble arises and things look really bad,
there is always one individual who perceives a
solution and is willing to take command.
      VERY OFTEN THAT PERSON IS CRAZY!
**********************************************
Thursday, August 31, 2000, 8:59:45 PM, you wrote:



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