rooftop antenna lightning protection

[nyscan00]

what is considered good lightning protection for an external antenna. :?:

How would one go about grounding a antenna.....
How does it actually get grounded........
should the cable from antenna to scanner be grounded also.....

If anyone has any info or suggustions on this topic it would be great!

THX

 

[LarrySC]

A piece of #10 wire from mast to a copper clad ground rod is common. I have several antennas mounted on a scaffod and the scaffold legs are inserted into the ground. I would be concerned more about a strike on the power line. In 50 years of radio I've had two strikes on AC line that damaged equipment. Only one static strike to antenna and very little damage.

 

[N4DES]

All grounds need to come to a common point and that should be the power company ground that usually connects to the cold water pipe. Don't sink another ground rod or you will create 2 unblanced ground points and can create a disaster in the room where the cable terminates.

There are many good sources on the net for grounding...the Motorola R56 documant is an excellent one.

 

[iceman47]

There is really little you can do to stop a lightning hit.
The best arrestors made are unable to stop a lighting bolt heading toward your antenna.
There is a device called a "BLITZ BUG", which helps bleed off any static that could be associated with your antenna.
In no way will it stop a lightning strike but by bleeding off this static it can avoit a hit. Remember that the current in a lightning strike is from earth to sky and this is what will kill your radios. By bleeding off the static charge it will lessen the chance of a discharge.
This device is designed to go in series with your coax and has a lug for a ground.
By all means, do as the previous post said and use the power co. grd.
Be sure to check and see if the power co. grd. is good.
I have seen many that barely make the grade as a ground.

 

[nmfire10]

Nothing can save you from a direct lightning strike to the antenna. Your just screwed if that happens, hopefully your not home and the fire department is right down the road.

Grounding all the metal mounting hardware, mast, tower, etc as well as the shield of the coax is so important. This will do two things for you. One is hopefully prevent a strike. Keep it as balanced and equal as possible and it will probably find something else to blow the crap out of. Two, if it going to hit you, it will hit the mast/tower instead of the antenna. Your radios will probably get fried but at least the house won't have a gaping hole in it.

My favorite approach... find a place to mount it where there is something higher and more appetising to the storm