How do you prevent damage from lightning?

[Tallman]

I have all of my station grounds in place and all is good with that. Now as we approach Violent Thunderstorm season I am concerned about damage both to the house and the equipment. I have done some research on the subject but still I have questions. If I go on a trip I unplug everything and disconnect the antennas. Now the question is with the station grounds properly done and tested, would it be a good idea to short the antenna cable to the station grounds? I'm thinking of making a connection with a SO-239 and attaching the coax to it.
That would make a direct short to earth ground on all conductors, it would keep all at earth potential.

Or do I worry too much?

Tallman

 

[binrat]

I would say that ideally you would stop the energy before it gets to the exterior of your house. A disconnect outside the house, maybe grounded there.

 

[RatsoW8]

That's it. Disconnect antennas, unplug equipment and don't give it a easy path in during a storm. I had a weatherproof disconnect box at the base of my tower. You can still take a hit through your house wiring. I lost a tv like that in Indiana but my radio was ok since I had it all unplugged.

 

[wavrider]

Like the RAT said, disconnect all coax, and unplug all equipment.

I live in FL lightning capital of the states and no damage to my equipment, I unplug and disconnect if I am not talking on it.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

So what to do if disconnecting cables is NOT an option?

 

[binrat]

So what to do if disconnecting cables is NOT an option?

Buy new gear?? Ok ok, high quality lightening arrestors at point of entry to start.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Buy new gear?? Ok ok, high quality lightening arrestors at point of entry to start.

You have to have something to connect those lightning supressors to and it better be installed correctly.

http://www.worldwidedx.com/threads/good-info-about-grounding.136571/

 

[binrat]

You have to have something to connect those lightning supressors to and it better be installed correctly.

http://www.worldwidedx.com/threads/good-info-about-grounding.136571/

Yes you are right. Coax in / out, and grounded properly.

 

[222DBFL]

Huber Suhner makes a good surge arrestor. Andrew makes a good one too. I have been I one cell site in 16 years that was hit directly by lightning and the surge arresters did their job, stopping the hit at the hatch plate before it entered the shelter. Here are a couple of photos of the huber sunher type.
You will need a mounting bracket like the one I posted to mount it to or a ground buss bar.
Add this as close as you can to the antenna. You can replace the gas discharge tube in them if they do get hit. And make sure to get the proper discharge tubes that are rated for the power output from the transmitter. Hope this helps.

 

[222DBFL]

Here are a couple more photos of the surge arrester. And also these are n-female connections. So n-make connectors are needed. Hope this helps and hope all is well with you and yours Tallman!!

 

[tecnicoloco]

So what to do if disconnecting cables is NOT an option?

Home Owners Insurance

 

[Tallman]

222dbfl I called the company and I am getting information from a distributor. Thanks Sean I knew you would have the right answer.

 

[wavrider]

So what to do if disconnecting cables is NOT an option?

Spend money on lightning protection, install a great over kill ground system, and pray

 

[jessejamesdallas]

Home Owners Insurance

Exactly what I was thinking...

If your tower takes a direct hit...Somethings going to fry even if every things un-hooked...

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Exactly what I was thinking...

If your tower takes a direct hit...Somethings going to fry even if every things un-hooked...

I have had this discussion so many times I get tired of it. If you install a PROPER ground system it is entirely possible to remain on the air during a DIRECT strike. Broadcast and commercial stations do it all the time.Check out W8JI's website. Tom does not disconnect any feedlines, takes several direct strikes every year, and suffers no damage. I get so sick and tired of people saying that if you get hit you are screwed. Not so IF you do things properly. I have had broadcast sites take numerous hits and the only thing that happened was the solid state tx popped off the air for a couple seconds when the high SWR detector tripped due to the voltage from the strike. I also had a ham tower take a direct strike however the feedline was disconnected but the rotator was still connected but unplugged. No damage.