[TowerTalk] Lighting protection

[jimlux]

Martin Staffa wrote:
> Put the lightning protection at the base of the tower mounted on a
> copper or stainless or aluminum plate.  With a heavy gage wire from
> the plate to the ground rod 8 foot in the ground. Very basic but will
> suffice for the time being,then study up on grounding techniques lots
> of articles  on the subject.  I prefer polyphaser.   Send me an e
> mail if you like and I will try to help you out a little more if I
> can.73 N1KGP _______________________________________________


Except that this strategy protects the tower, but not the radio gear. 
The general rule with transient protection is to put the protection 
close to the protected device.  The goal with "transient suppression" 
(i.e. you want to reduce the production of a transient in the first 
place) would be to put the protection close to the source (e.g. a RC 
snubber across a relay coil).

That's why the electrical code requires the antenna discharge unit to be 
at the point of entry to the building. Ditto for phone lines... the 
transient suppressor is at the point of entry, not up on the phone pole.

Jim