[TowerTalk] Grounding control cable/Rotator control box

[kb9cry at comcast.net]

 I feel it necessary to mention my dislike with what seems like constant 
 pushing of one device or another when someone asks for information. 
 
In my mind, for us hams, there is only Polyphaser and ICE (for prebuilt units).  I'm sure there are many other commercial products available, and you may be able to construct your own unit but I don't have the schematic.  Personally I use ICE products with great results; I never disconnect!  I have lightning arrestors at my SPG and besides grounding the coax shields (they are also grounded at the tower(s)) they also bleed off charge off the center conductor.  
 
> What is NOT grounded is the control cable going up the tower and neither is the control unit itself, a Yaesu G-450XL, since it does not seem to 
> have a ground lug for this purpose. The control cable is a shielded six 
> pair cable. I use two conductors for each rotator connection. And I've 
> grounded the shield of the control cable also at the base of the tower, 
> but not the conductors themselves. This is my problem at the moment. As 
> the control cable conductors build up static as they have no path to 
> ground and go directly to the rotator control box. Anyone familiar 
> with how to resolve this I'd appreciate the advice. 
>
Well, I don't know the circuitry involved, but both Polyphaser and ICE make grounding blocks for your control cables that continually bleed off and shunt charge off the individual lines.  Check out their website and maybe purchase a unit and dissect it and then when someone asks how to do it, you can tell them without mentioning a company's name.  Again, IMHO, I'd rather invest a little in lightning protection made by someone who knows what they're doing rather than trusting myself.  Just trying to be helpful, Phil  KB9CRY