[Towertalk] Lightning Protection by Ron Block in QST!

[ditzian@alltel.net]

Yet on these very same pages many of us expound upon the wisdom
>      of
> using lightning suppressors with (soldered) PL-259 coax connectors. 
> Should there not also be a mechanical connection from the coax shield
> to a nearby ground point just ahead of the Polyphaser or other
> suppressor?  (The installation at my tower has this configuration by
> virtue of the shield ground at the base of the tower, a foot away from
> the suppressor on each coax run.  But it was coincidental that the
> shield is grounded so close to the lightning suppressors at this QTH.)
> 

Gene,

It seems to me that the reason to use lightning suppressors on coax 
shield, even if soldered, is to provide an alternative path to 
lightning that happens to end up on that shield, rather than having 
it go into the shack, to wherever the coax is connected or to what it 
is near.  

HOWEVER, this should not be the only lightning path. A wise ham would 
provide a far lower resistance path to ground right at the antenna 
and tower (lightning ground). Taking extra precautions by putting an 
arrestor between the coax line and ground would not seem to hurt 
anything.

73,
Jan Ditzian
KX2A
kx2a@arrl.net