K7JEB wrote:

| |
Antenna ---------+--------| |----------- To Radio
| | |
SPARK V Blocking
GAP ^ Capacitor
|
Ground ---------+----------------------

PS: The breakdown voltage of the capacitor should be
10 times that of the spark gap. For a 1KV spark gap,
that would give 10 KV.

JEB

2uF at 10kV, quite a capacitor. That would be 6 ohms or so on
topband. As I understand it, there is nothing that can work if
a direct lightening strike occurs. We are talking megavolts and
thousands of amps. Way beyond anything an amateur could build.
The best we can hope for is to dissipate charge build up on the
aerial and ensure that there is no more than a kilovolt or so at
the input to the rig caused by the (field) effects of a nearby
strike. A spark gap that can conduct a lightening strike would
be the size of a small truck.

The only way to make sure you have a working station after a
lightening strike on your aerials is to take out good insurance.

vy 73

Andy, M1EBV