RadioBanter - View Single Post

BTM · October 6th 05, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Muenzler, WB5RUE

"jim" wrote in message
...
Jan Panteltje wrote:

I had the new GPA behind the house up last week....
To make sure I had the best SWR and best signal, I use thick coax, and
left out the coupling piece I had that I used to disconnect in case
lighting was expected.
The weather report was good, with a drop of rain, and the sky was
clear....
I went to sleep.
At 3.25 last night I woke up because of an incredible flash and BANG.
Thought "have to buy new gear now, pity..." hehe).
LOL
But nothing was smoking, counted seconds between flashes (more now),
it was overhead alright.
But my neighbor (50 meters away) has a higher mast.
Anyway, it started raining, usually there is enough conductive path then
for it not no strike, I went outside in pyamas, waited for a flash,
(clouds take time to charge up again) and cut the coax, folded it back,
so there was some meters separation.
Went to bed again, noticed I was wet...
Just now I put some connecters and a coupling piece, so that is fixed.
So, anyways the sky is clear and the sun shines, and the SWR is slightly
better now...
But now I am thinking 'lightning detector', I know these exist, was it
not
a simple ferrite rod with a detector (for low frequencies)?
Does anyone here use these?
Good diagrams?
I should google anyways....

Anyways I made some other changes too, I am now running the set from a
12 Ah
12V gel battery,
It is charged continously with an AC/DC adapter, no large power supplies
needed.
and I can use things when electricity fails, say in case of flooding.

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all the work to set up a station and no lightning protection scheme?
there are many ways to protect the equipment including gas discharge
kit. any surge protection on the ac input?

Nothing that would be worth buying to protect a CB rig will stop a direct
strike. A direct strike will vaporize a gas discharge kit on its way to
your radio. But then if you want to spend a few thousand dollars you can
get direct-strike protection.

Kevin, WB5RUE

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I know nothing really will stop a direct strike but the more 90 degree turns you can make with you coax before entry the better! lightning doesnt like 90 degree angles, also i bring my coax all the way to the ground with a gas discharge unit at its lowest point then 90 back up to entry,most likely a drop in the bucket but ive never been wiped out. I also have 15 or so ground rods spread every 4 ft connected with stranded bare #6 then i covered it with dirt most of this is for field ground but field ground should be bonded to antenna ground always and is in my case, also bond them to your service ground,i also run my equipment off of battery backup units with avr and really nice surge clamping characteristics UPC and Cyberpower make nice units that stops that third order harmonic feedback wipe out thru your power in case of a strike

well this is just my poormans attempt to protect my equipment

Cheers BTM