SPRINTERLIGHT
Member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2014
- Messages
- 28
I have two antennas on a 50 foot tower. One is a Solarcon vertical and the other is a end fed half wave long wire. Tower is grounded to a ground rod 10 ft in the ground
I am trying to protect my radio equipment from lightning strikes. I have been told the best solution is to disconnect the coax from the radio , unplug the radio from the wall receptacle and disconnect the ground from the radio. Now when lightning happens to strike in theory the charge will follow down the antenna ground into the ground rod in the earth and I should be relatively sure my equipment will survive.
My concern is the coax that comes from the tower into the shack. would not some of the lightning charge follow the coax into my shack. I have never heard it said that you also have to pull the coax from the shack , but I cannot feel sure that I have eliminated the problem without doing so.
I know there are a lot of you out there that feel I am going overboard but I do not want to take the chance and find out the hard way. Radio equipment is not cheap as you already know plus the safety of people in the general radio area are relying on me that they are protected.
I am hoping there is an easier way to protect my equipment and the safety of the occupants. Disconnecting everything in this procedure every time I think I hear a rumbling would be quite a choir. I look forward to hearing from knowledgeable ham operators on this subject .
I am trying to protect my radio equipment from lightning strikes. I have been told the best solution is to disconnect the coax from the radio , unplug the radio from the wall receptacle and disconnect the ground from the radio. Now when lightning happens to strike in theory the charge will follow down the antenna ground into the ground rod in the earth and I should be relatively sure my equipment will survive.
My concern is the coax that comes from the tower into the shack. would not some of the lightning charge follow the coax into my shack. I have never heard it said that you also have to pull the coax from the shack , but I cannot feel sure that I have eliminated the problem without doing so.
I know there are a lot of you out there that feel I am going overboard but I do not want to take the chance and find out the hard way. Radio equipment is not cheap as you already know plus the safety of people in the general radio area are relying on me that they are protected.
I am hoping there is an easier way to protect my equipment and the safety of the occupants. Disconnecting everything in this procedure every time I think I hear a rumbling would be quite a choir. I look forward to hearing from knowledgeable ham operators on this subject .