[TowerTalk] Coax Disconnection

[Phil - KB9CRY]

Two places for info.
Go to the Polyphaser website http://www.polyphaser.com/and thoroughly 
read through all of their technical articles.  They describe exactly 
what to do.
Also go to the ICE website 
http://www.arraysolutions.com/Products/ice/index.html 
<http://www.arraysolutions.com/Products/ice/index.html> and read through 
their articles.  

Purchase the suppressor unit, ground rods, clamps or CadWelds, and 
proper wire and hook it all up.  Personally I use ICE equipment but both 
companies offer top quality hardware and are of the same design and 
capabilities.  From my experience it really works.  Some folks have 
posted that they believe their tower is a lightning attractor and is 
just waiting and asking to take a strike. From what I've learned that's 
totally false if the tower and supporting cables are properly grounded 
and bonded.  When lightning strikes, there is actually a ground leg of 
lightning that forms and goes up from the ground to meet the sky bolt. 
 The ground or tower must have been able to accumulate sufficient 
opposite charge to be able to complete the circuit that the sky bolt is 
looking for.  If your tower and cables are constantly bleeding away 
charge and not allowing any static charge to accumulate, then lighting 
will look for another charged area in which to ground itself.  Now of 
course one can not always fool Mother Nature and if you do take a hit, 
then you'll really want these protectors to stop the charge outside the 
shack and shunt it to ground. Finally remember what we all really should 
be concerned about is not the direct strike but the nearby strikes. 
 These are always occurring and are always, always inducing current and 
voltage into our towers.  That induced current is what will also fry our 
radios.  I'm always learning like everyone else but please feel free to 
contact me if you have questions, or better yet, call up Polyphaser or 
ICE, they are really nice folks and will offer help.  Phil  KB9CRY

srefurd wrote:

>I wouldn't understand high science, but I would like some details.
>Thanks for the opportunity to learn!
>
>Railey Efurd
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: <kb9cry at comcast.net>
>To: "Rick Ellison" <rellison at twcny.rr.com>
>Cc: <towertalk at contesting.com>
>Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2003 11:00 AM
>Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Coax Disconnection
>
>
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>>Personally, I have so many cables and wires coming in from outdoors, I
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>never
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>>disconnect.  Everyone has lightning protection and my single point ground,
>>station ground, perimeter ground, and tower grounds are all very robust
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>and are
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>>tied together (CadWelded).  I never disconnect.  Most coax cables do go to
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>a
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>>switch so that the desired antenna can be switched to the rig.  I've
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>received a
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>>30 amp surge through the system from a nearby lightning strike and had no
>>damage.  (Verified by other means; contact offline for info if curious.)
>>Lightning never seems to want to directly strike my antennas; must be the
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>good
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>>bleed-off of static from the system.  Commecial radio stations and the
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>police
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>>and fire depts. never disconnect and we radio operators shouldn't have to
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>also
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>>if we've designed our systems properly, cover all the bases,  and don't
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>use
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>>shortcuts.  Phil  KB9CRY
>>_______________________________________________
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>>See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
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>Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any
>questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>  
>
>>_______________________________________________
>>TowerTalk mailing list
>>TowerTalk at contesting.com
>>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>
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