[TowerTalk] Rain static, lightning and Polyphasers

[Cqtestk4xs@aol.com]

Having the biggest station in the lightning capitol of the US, I am pretty 
well qualified to talk about lighting hits and such.

For years I, and lots of my buddies in the FCG, have been plagued by lighting 
hits.  All of the big stations with towers 100 feet or more have been hit, 
sometimes multiple hits.

Three years ago, I tackled the problem in earnest.  Among other things, I 
redid a bulkhead in the wall now contains a wide flat piece of copper to the 
grounds.  But the biggest improvement I made was to install Polyphasers on all 
incoming coax lines.  With twelve lines, it was a big investment.

In addition to doing the above, I use quick disconnects on the coax coming 
from the bulkhead, and quick disconnects on the control cables coming from the 
bulkhead.  All lines stay disconnected unless I am on the air including the 
power cables.  Also, I disconnect the cable Internet connection, by quick 
disconnect, when lightning is heard.

These measures may sound like overkill, but even though I am the heart of the 
thunderstorm capitol of North America and have three 200 footers, I have not 
sustained any damage in the last three years....a record for me!

By the way, a couple of weeks ago my brother's sailboat, ten miles away from 
here, took a direct hit while it was anchored next to his house.  He now has 
about $7000 worth of electronic goodies which he can now use as emergency 
anchors, including a very nice Kenwood rig.  Luckily, he was not on the boat when 
it was hit.

Bill K4XS (in the land of lightning and 'canes)