| Author |
Message |
    
VERNONOTT
| | Posted on Monday, May 28, 2001 - 5:38 pm: | 
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I don't know how many of you run base stations or if you protect your equipment from lightning.My equipment has been hit twice and the only thing I lost was antenna and coax.Every time without fail I shut my equipment down I remove the antenna coax from my meter and place it in a glass jar.That one jar has saved me many thousands of dollars. |
HAM CBer
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2001 - 12:02 am: |
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Have you heard of a device made by a company of the same name: Polyphasor? If you used one, you would probably save your coax and antenna too. And you could leave your equipment plugged in. I have equipment that has been hit while it was on the air. Worked right on through the hit.
The glass jar is immaterial. You could throw the coax on the floor (as long as it was insulated) and you would do the same thing. |
Heterodyne Hill
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2001 - 12:03 am: |
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Vernonott,
I have 6 gauge insulated copper wire running from the mast that holds my antenna down to an eight foot long solid copper rod I pounded into the ground all but eight inches. The wire is connected to the mast and the ground rod with copper clamps. Makes for an excellent ground, and I hope, I hope, I hope, that if lightning does hit it, it will direct itself down to ground rather than through the coax. But I doubt it. I do, as you do, unscrew the coax and put it in the jar also.
Steve
181
South Central PA |
keithinatlanta@juno.com
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 30, 2001 - 9:57 pm: |
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OK guys, educate me. I have never heard of putting the coax in the jar. What is that supposed to accomplish?
When I used to run a base station, I would also just unhook the coax and lay it to the side.
I will be interested in hearing your reasons. Always room to learn. |
vernonott
| | Posted on Thursday, May 31, 2001 - 12:07 pm: |
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Keith: I've been told for years that current will not past through glass.Thats why power companies use glass insulators on power poles.I can tell you for sure that my glass jar has two burnt spots in the bottom.If I would have left the coax connector lying on the desk it possibly could have ignited something .I'm not an electrician but I know lightning does weird things. |
Charlie Tango 56
| | Posted on Saturday, June 02, 2001 - 9:06 pm: |
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Lightning does whatever it wants to. The ac electricity in your home does not compare with the power capacity of mother nature. There is a reason why it is suggested to stay away from windows in a thunder storm. The only way to protect your equipment is to disconnect the coax and power connections. Lightning has struck within 100 yards of my station 3 times in 30 years with no damage, using this method. |
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