βish wrote:
Was wondering if it is safe to listen to Shortwave radio without
terribly long external antenna during such time. I actually like the
crackle pops along with the fading audio. Would I damage the radio by
doing this? Radio is Sony 2010 with about 10 ft. long antenna slung
near the window.

TIA





Would you be injured? No.

Your radio? Not likely. But that's not assured.

You don't have to be directly struck to damage you radio. A nearby
strike can easily raise electric potential in the surrounding area
sufficiently to induce a current into metal objects, your antenna being
one of them.

2010 is particularly susceptible to static damage, but it's by far
not the only item that's vulnerable.

A few years ago, during a particularly spirited discussion on the
group, I had my radios on during a rather mild and not terribly close
thunderstorm.

Now, I run have an active splitter feeding my radios from common
antennae. And that night the Eavesdropper was switched in, and I had 4
radios going.

At one point, there was a fairly distant flash of lightning out the
window, but no thunder. And there was a pop on all of the active radios.

And then silence.

The static strike had induced a current spike in the antenna, and
taken out the active splitter.

The radios, themselves, were not damaged, but the active splitter
was demised.



For the most part, there's no reason to be concerned about listening
in a thunderstorm. And an indoor antenna will rarely, if ever, pose a
problem under such conditions.

But be advised that some electronics are sensitive to nearby static
strikes, and can be taken out without direct contact.


Good listening.