[TowerTalk] Lightning protection (?) for Ameritron RCS-10 antenna switch

[john at kk9a.com]

Maybe you should put a porcupine static charge disrupter on the tower too:)

What brand relay switch was damaged?  I have had a number of tower lightning
strikes and have had good luck with various Array Solutions relay boxes. I
use Commscope ground kits on the Heliax and MOVs on the relay wires.  Should
you have trouble, it is much nicer if you mount the relay boxes at ground
level.

GL,
John KK9A

 

Pete Smith N4ZR wrote:

I just bought a new Ameritron RCS-10 to replace my old switch, which was 
damaged by lightning.  In reading the instructions, I was struck by the 
suggestion of making  2 6" diameter turns in each coax line coming into 
the relay box at the tower, no more than 3 feet from the switch itself, 
what they call "lightning retarding loops."

I don't think I've ever seen this anywhere else, and wonder if there's 
anything to it. It doesn't seem as if there would be enough inductance 
in such loops to offer any degree of protection.

-- 
73, Pete N4ZR
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