[TowerTalk] Lightning: antenna selection, equip protection

[K8RI on TowerTalk]

First, Season's greetings to you and congratulations on the new location and 
station.
Second...Pretty much what Joe said<:-))
Start with a good ground system and go from there.
My trap tribander is just a relatively inexpensive and used TH-5 and it's 
still working.
I've said before, my tower and antennas gets hit an average of 3 (verified) 
times a season although it was
five times this past season. Since finishing up the ground system I've had 
no problems. Still, after all those hits the next one could be a super 
strike and fry the whole place.

Roger (K8RI)

> Hello all and season's greetings...
>
> I am moving to the highest point in the county, a ridge line 1800ft up 
> from
> the surrounding valleys. I intend to install a high tower [60-100ft] with 
> a
> 40m yagi over a tribander and a wire antenna system for the low bands. My
> house will be more or less under the antenna system. My kids live across
> the road, and they receive up to five direct lightning hits per month
> during the summer. With the tower I can expect to become the "local
> lightning rod" and will probably receive at least that number of hits and
> probably more. This raises questions concerning antenna selection and site
> protection.
>
> Antenna: assuming the antenna/tower will be hit frequently, should I avoid
> trap antennas and those with embedded electronics [eg SteppIR], or should
> such antennas be okay for these conditions? Are there any antennas that 
> are
> knows for their lightning strike endurance?
>
> Protection: allowing for all the lightning arresters, spark gaps, drains,
> shunts, grounds, etc, all on feed lines and control cables, all entering
> the house, all connected to the radio equipment, what's the general wisdom
> on what I should install/do to keep things from being fried on a regular 
> basis?
>
> Thanks much.
>
> ...robert, KE2WY
>
> Robert G. Strickland PhD ABPH - KE2WY
> rcrgs at verizon.net.usa
> Syracuse, New York  USA