When installing,...

[KB1TPX]

When installing....

...an inline coaxial lightning arrestor, should the ground wire be totally insulated from the masts? That is above and below the rotator? It seems to me that the lower mast should be grounded as well.

 

[Robb]

As a Ham storm chaser/spotter. I can tell you a bit about lightning.
If you were to get a strike, they generally have multiple discharges and will follow several paths in and around the initial point of impact. The best thing to do before a storm arrives is to disconnect all of your equipment and especially the coax. Unplug all of the equipment from the wall/house current.

Additionally, having a large ground wire coming off of your antenna to a couple of 6 ft ground rods would be best. Some have made/used stainless steel ground rods; but they are more costly - but never rot while in the ground.

Lightning arrestors - sorry to say - are nothing more than a false hope. When one considers the amount of voltage and current being discharged in multiple rapid fashion, even coax can be vaporized - as well as the antenna. A lightning arrestor - while appearing to be a practical item - isn't really going to do much to protect you or your equipment from a strike. As previously stated, the best thing to do if/when a storm is approaching, is to disconnect all equipment from the outside antennas and unplug all of your gear from the wall receptacles.

Don't talk on the telephone, use an electrical appliance, or take a bath. People have been killed in their own homes when lightning gets into the house wiring or the grounded plumbing. I'm sure you have heard this before, but it bears repeating.

 

[KB1TPX]

As a Ham storm chaser/spotter. I can tell you a bit about lightning.
If you were to get a strike, they generally have multiple discharges and will follow several paths in and around the initial point of impact. The best thing to do before a storm arrives is to disconnect all of your equipment and especially the coax. Unplug all of the equipment from the wall.

Additionally, having a large ground wire coming off of your antenna to a couple of 6 ft ground rods would be best. Some have made/used stainless steel ground rods; but they are more costly - but never rot while in the ground.

Lightning arrestors - sorry to say - are nothing more than a false hope. When one considers the amount of voltage and current being discharged in multiple rapid fashion, even coax can be vaporized - as well as the antenna. A lightning arrestor - while appearing to be a practical item - isn't really going to do much to protect you or your equipment from a strike. As previously stated, the best thing to do if/when a storm is approaching, is to disconnect all equipment from the outside antennas and unplug all of your gear from the wall receptacles

Well, I do indeed always disconnect the antenna and unplug when there is an electrical storm, but I figured the addition of the arrestor would be an added feature, as futile as it may be. But my question was whether or not the mast should be grounded.
Also would that affect my signal (Rx&Tx), because the beam is not insulated from the mast.
Catch my drift?
OH yes, and believe me, I know a thing or three about the effects of lightning. I was a medical examiners' agent for years.

 

[Robb]

Besides being a better path for the majority of the lightnig current to follow, having your mast grounded would also help eliminate any static buildup that can interfere with your receive. At least one 6 ft rod and LARGE guage wire clamped to that rod -not soldered- and also clamped to your antenna mast is the proper protocol. It has also -in my experience- slightly lowered my SWR in Tx mode by providing a better ground.

Some soils do not provide good ground. So, that is why multiple rods are used, or even burying lengths of wire for several yards long connected to the ground rod can vastly improve your ground - if necessary...

 

[KB1TPX]

Alright then,

Thanks Rob, all facts that I'd previously considered and you've verified them for me.

 

[KB1TPX]

Let me put it this way,

Ever since I installed that @#$%& lightning arestor, my match has been messed up and my RX is not as good.
Am I not supposed to ground a beam that has a gamma match, with that kind of lightning arrestor, or should I simply ground the mast below the rotator?
I'm just about ready to eliminate the ground all together and go back to disconnecting the antenna at night.:headbang
At least the antenna performed properly before.

 

[Robb]

IMO-
*Get rid of the lightning arrestor.
*Keep the ground system.
*In fact - do all that you can to improve it.
*Especially - between the antenna mast to ground. Pop in another ground rod.

If you have getting a lot of thunderstorms lately, then disconnect all inside gear from the outside - if you must. Lightning would see the better ground and move down the heavy-guage ground wire from your antenna. I would neither trust or rely upon the lightning arrestor to protect your life/family, your gear, or your home...
Never...IMO...Arrestors remind me of 'snake oil'...

 

[KB1TPX]

IMO-
*Get rid of the lightning arrestor.
*Keep the ground system.
*In fact - do all that you can to improve it.
*Especially - between the antenna mast to ground. Pop in another ground rod.

If you have getting a lot of thunderstorms lately, then disconnect all inside gear from the outside - if you must. Lightning would see the better ground and move down the heavy-guage ground wire from your antenna. I would neither trust or rely upon the lightning arrestor to protect your life/family, your gear, or your home...
Never...IMO...Arrestors remind me of 'snake oil'...

I was hoping sombody would say that. Thanks.

 

[W5LZ]

Just off hand, if things have gotten worse after installing a lightning arrestor, then I would have to think that something wasn't done correctly. If that lightning arrestor was designed correctly, and if it was installed correctly,there's really no reason why it should make that kind of difference. Neither should grounding a mast, or tower, or other support structure.
I think I'd stand back and take a good look at what's there, see if there's any obvious thingys that really don't seem right for some reason. If you haven't before, it's probably a good time to RTFM (read the furnished manuals, and yeah, I know, I always read the manuals...sooner or later, sort of).
The easy part is knowing that there's a mistake somewhere. The hard part is finding that mistake. Fixing that mistake can go in either direction, easy/difficult. The really, really difficult part (at least for me) is figuring out who'da done such a thing, cuz I wouldn't have done that!
Good luck.
- 'Doc

 

[KB1TPX]

Forget it!

Just off hand, if things have gotten worse after installing a lightning arrestor, then I would have to think that something wasn't done correctly. If that lightning arrestor was designed correctly, and if it was installed correctly,there's really no reason why it should make that kind of difference. Neither should grounding a mast, or tower, or other support structure.
I think I'd stand back and take a good look at what's there, see if there's any obvious thingys that really don't seem right for some reason. If you haven't before, it's probably a good time to RTFM (read the furnished manuals, and yeah, I know, I always read the manuals...sooner or later, sort of).
The easy part is knowing that there's a mistake somewhere. The hard part is finding that mistake. Fixing that mistake can go in either direction, easy/difficult. The really, really difficult part (at least for me) is figuring out who'da done such a thing, cuz I wouldn't have done that!
Good luck.
- 'Doc

Well, no manual or instructions came with that cheapo thing. Nor does maco have anything to say in their instructions refering to grounding the 103C. So, about an hour ago, I went up the ladder, did away with the lightning arrestor and simply grounded the mast. Whenever there is an electrical storm, or when I'm away, I'll disconnect and unplug, as before.
I really don't think that that $5.00 gadget was worth all the hassle anyway.

 

[W5LZ]

I honestly don't think you've hurt yourself at all by doing away with that thingy. It's a 'spark-gap' thing and they just do not work well, ever.
- 'Doc

 

[KB1TPX]

I honestly don't think you've hurt yourself at all by doing away with that thingy. It's a 'spark-gap' thing and they just do not work well, ever.
- 'Doc

Yeah, I emailed Tom at Maco and he didn't endorse it either, he said to just ground the mast.