Another repeater antenna question - UHF Dipole
- Thread starter DylanMadigan
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prcguy
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I am stating the average ham/scanner/SWL will probably never be able to survive a direct hit. They (we) are installing antennas on homes and buildings never designed for lightning protection.
A cell site, FM/TV/repeater broadcast tower with accompanying shelter or building is designed as a complete system to survive lightning. You can't easily retrofit a home to do the same thing. So I stand by my statement and will add its dangerous to suggest a ham/scanner/SWL person is safe from a direct hit unless they live in something like an FM broadcast transmitter site.
A cell site, FM/TV/repeater broadcast tower with accompanying shelter or building is designed as a complete system to survive lightning. You can't easily retrofit a home to do the same thing. So I stand by my statement and will add its dangerous to suggest a ham/scanner/SWL person is safe from a direct hit unless they live in something like an FM broadcast transmitter site.
The ground system for most cellular towers is not the same as an average ham is ever going to have. So, thats just not a fair comparison. I really wish I could afford such a ground system. Needless to say, I cant. I can, and do make my ground system as good as possible. So far, its worked well enough. I hate putting in ground radials but that really is the best way... except for boats, doesn't do well with them...
And everyone in the Two Way industry wondered why Mark and LA City spent lots of money on ground systems.
radioman2001
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And everyone in the Two Way industry wondered why Mark and LA City spent lots of money on ground systems.
Don't know who they are, so the story is kinda lost. I will make an assumption that LA City probably went with the standard for lightning protection at their sites. Not a big deal, I just went through this on a building in Midtown Manhattan that is 30 stories lower than any other surrounding building. You have to meet a certain standard for protection or you will find your aXX in a sling when your equipment gets damaged.
As far as boats, been out many times to try and recover whats left of the Marine electronics after a direct hit to a sailboat. The bottom gets blown out then the boat sinks.
If you want another lightning story, I had a GMRS repeater on a 25ft tall water tank on a hill next to a golf course. One day it wasn't working so I go up see that I had taken a strike. Put another repeater in and 50% SWR, so I changed the antenna. At my leisure I took apart the 10db super station master, and there was nothing, I mean NOTHING left of the antenna ( that model uses alternating sections of LFD) inside the fiberglass shell it was totally vaporized. The repeater took some significant damage but was repairable. This was with a lightning arrestor in line bolted to the water tank itself at the base of the antenna. I replaced the super stationmaster with an open bay 9db, and for the remaing 20 years it was there never had another problem. Doesn't play by our rules.
And everyone in the Two Way industry wondered why Mark and LA City spent lots of money on ground systems.
Don't know who they are, so the story is kinda lost. I will make an assumption that LA City probably went with the standard for lightning protection at their sites. Not a big deal, I just went through this on a building in Midtown Manhattan that is 30 stories lower than any other surrounding building. You have to meet a certain standard for protection or you will find your aXX in a sling when your equipment gets damaged.
As far as boats, been out many times to try and recover whats left of the Marine electronics after a direct hit to a sailboat. The bottom gets blown out then the boat sinks.
If you want another lightning story, I had a GMRS repeater on a 25ft tall water tank on a hill next to a golf course. One day it wasn't working so I go up see that I had taken a strike. Put another repeater in and 50% SWR, so I changed the antenna. At my leisure I took apart the 10db super station master, and there was nothing, I mean NOTHING left of the antenna ( that model uses alternating sections of LFD) inside the fiberglass shell it was totally vaporized. The repeater took some significant damage but was repairable. This was with a lightning arrestor in line bolted to the water tank itself at the base of the antenna. I replaced the super stationmaster with an open bay 9db, and for the remaing 20 years it was there never had another problem. Doesn't play by our rules.
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Most people in the two-way industry probably have a pretty good idea why they spend so much on grounding... I would think.
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