[TowerTalk] Gas Tube protection for remote antenna switches; shorting coax cables when disconnected

[Pete Smith]

Yesterday we had a severe thunderstorm episode, with significant 
cloud-to-ground lightning nearby.  All my coax and control lines were 
disconnected, but when one particularly close strike occurred, an arc 
jumped across the open SO-239 on my entry panel.  No damage in the 
shack, fortunately, but it set me wondering.

1.  Does it make sense to put a shorting plug at the shack end of a coax 
cable?  With my Ameritron RCS-10 relay box, putting a shorted PL-259 in 
position 1 on the relay box has the same effect when the control cable 
is disconnected, except at the tower end.  A better idea?

2.  Ameritron makes a "lightning-protected" version of the RCS-10, 
called the RCS-10L.  From the parts list (no schematic) it appears that 
the only added component is a gas tube, rated at 1500V, 10 KA.  I 
presume this is across the output of the relay box coming to the shack.  
Again, good idea?

-- 
73, Pete N4ZR

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