[TowerTalk] lightning protection

[Craig Clark]

Dear TT

I wasn't going to comment about Polyphaser products being "expensive" 
but, as I sat here having my morning coffee, I felt compelled to say 
something.

I mean no disrespect the the writer but you are buying protection 
from lightning which is one of the biggest threats your station 
has.  Scrimping on lightning protection while spending thousands of 
dollars on a radio and accessories makes no sense to me.

How do you value your station and home?  I sell and use ICE products 
on all feedlines (I303U) control lines (I348) and while I have had 
not direct hits, there have been plenty of near field hits. We have 
gone a long way in lightning protection technology from the old 
"Blitz bugs" we used in the 60's and 70's.  Lightning is capricious 
and can find multiple ways to get in to your shack and do damage. 
Using the full house concept and state-of-the-art protection can give 
you a sense of "peace of mind" during thunderstorms. However, I must 
admit, having been in the near field of several lightning strikes, I 
still fret during storms.

On another subject, W4ZV wrote and excellent response to using 75 ohm 
hardline to feed a 50 ohm antenna. If you want to read more, get the 
PDF copy of the By Goodman, W1DX QST article "My feedline tunes my 
antenna." There's a link on hit obit page at ARRL:

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/05/13/2/?nc=1

Now back to my coffee.


73, Craig Clark, K1QX

PLEASE NOTE NEW EMAIL ADDRESS
JCCLARK at WILDBLUE.COM

RADIOWARE AND RADIO BOOKSTORE
PO  BOX 209
RINDGE NH 03461
603 899 6957
WWW.RADIO-WARE.COM