[TowerTalk] Grounding an Insulated Tower

[Richard L. King]

Hi everyone. HNY.

I am near completion of a 155 foot 25G tower with an insulator 30 
feet above ground to use on 160M. I am interested in techniques for 
grounding for lightning protection and to bleed off noise from rain 
static, etc.

The tower will be fed directly with the coax to the upper insulated 
part and the coax shield will be connected to several raised radials. 
The coax and the radials will NOT be connected to earth ground at the tower.

I am worried that a direct lightning hit might cause me sever 
problems if I cannot bleed it off somehow. I have thought about 
lightning spark gaps and maybe a large inductor between the insulated 
section and the lower part of the tower, but not sure how that will 
work and what should be the values of those components.

I do plan to ground the lower, unattached, section of the tower with 
ground rods.

Thanks.

73, Richard - K5NA