[TowerTalk] Static discharge Cushcraft XM240 during storms

[Doug Renwick]

You might try mounting another beam antenna above the XM240
to take the lightning hits.

Doug

reheinri at rockwellcollins.com wrote:

> Mike,
> 
> I have experienced exactly the same thing with my XM-240 here in Iowa.  I
> could hear the static jump during winds and passing storms.  Here are a
> couple of other observations:

> 2)  I modified my XM-240 after having two of the loading elements blow up
> in near lightning hits.  (And I mean blow up.  I have aluminum spatter and
> the wire was tangled.  The heat shrink tubing was blown away.  And that was
> from a near hit.  Happened twice in two consecutive summers.)  Here's how I
> modified it.  I grounded the reflector to the boom and I added two of the
> Wireman's "porcupine" static discharge devices on top of the tower where
> the phillystran relief cable attaches to the mast.
> 
> Seems to work.  Haven't had a problem in three years since the change.
> 
> For reference my XM-240 is at 82 feet above a Cushcraft X-9 on top of a
> Trylon self supporting 72 foot tower.
> 
> Hope this helps.
> 
> Rick N0YY
> 

-- 
Doug Renwick VA5DX
PO Box 50, Clavet, Saskatchewan, Canada S0K 0Y0
VE5RA at sasktel.net
First VE5 5BDXCC, 160M DXCC & 9BDXCC
What profit it a ham if he gains all the awards yet forfeits his soul?
I'll run the race and I will never be the same again.