Who always keeps "protection" handy???? (antenna related!)

[S&W357]

Antenna/mast grounded to 8' copper clad rods. I disconnect coax outside the house from antennas at ground level.

Coax connectors are sealed off with screw on metal caps. These would probably blast off like high velocity projectiles, or vaporize and spray like molten steel, or become flying chunks of iron like a frag grenade.

 

[357magnum]

I'm well grounded , but still disconnect the main coax & say a prayer ! If it strikes close enough shows over any way ! I've seen a lot of damage done to deep well pumps in my area just by hitting close by . About 40 years ago we got a storm , my friend was running to the house , I held the door , it hit a tree about 50 ft behind him , well was in between them . Blew his pump up & him through the door ! I still remember the hair standing up on his head ! He was a little more daffy after that but no serious injuries were incurred .

 

[Road Squawker]

Good point I guess we will go with the modern version, a plastic container, I think the idea is sound, with no ground potential very unlikely of a strike,... edit....

The entire Mason jar thing grew out of the concept of disconnecting the feedline from the antenna. The jar itself is no protection.

As far as not being grounded preventing strikes, aircraft take strikes all the time.

 

[guitar_199]

I was thinking that it was more about wind/air blowing particles past the metal and building up static charges.... but I'm no weatherman....

 

[Redbeard U812]

I'm well grounded , but still disconnect the main coax & say a prayer ! If it strikes close enough shows over any way ! I've seen a lot of damage done to deep well pumps in my area just by hitting close by . About 40 years ago we got a storm , my friend was running to the house , I held the door , it hit a tree about 50 ft behind him , well was in between them . Blew his pump up & him through the door ! I still remember the hair standing up on his head ! He was a little more daffy after that but no serious injuries were incurred .

We had a guy got struck dwn here in Port Comfort last week on a Power Plant construction. No warning. Bam. He lived.

But as far as the protection thing goes....I disconnect antenna from radio.....then....unroll a new lubricated condom and sheath the coax for added protection.

 

[Chevboy0167]

I tend to over do it!



Just kidding! Stock photo for a simple cell tower or similar.

 

[Chevboy0167]

I have Polyphasers on all lines in a NEMA outside waterproof enclosure with 2 #4 ground wires to 3-8ft ground rods at base of tower. Also1 3inch wide cooper RF ground strap bonded from tower leg to buried RF ground system around my top hat concrete base.

I do un-hook and ground all lines in the NEMA box when see a storm approaching on the local weather. Fingers crossed!!!!

 

[xm49north7]

Time exposure photo of tree strike

 

[xm49north7]

I was thinking that it was more about wind/air blowing particles past the metal and building up static charges.... but I'm no weatherman....

The charge is built up in the cloud, the cloud acts like a giant capacitor, filled with positive charge, high ground points on the earth are the negative discharge points. Planes are hit because they happen to be flying through a discharge, wrong place at the wrong time.

 

[guitar_199]

With that in mind..... to provide ANY protection at ALL....

Should one:

1) put on some kind of lightning protector? (any good at all?)

2) disconnect the coax and ground the coax signal line( to drain off any charge on the antenna)

3) just disconnect the antenna outside when you know storms are coming ( like many seem to do here)

The charge is built up in the cloud, the cloud acts like a giant capacitor, filled with positive charge, high ground points on the earth are the negative discharge points. Planes are hit because they happen to be flying through a discharge, wrong place at the wrong time.

 

[BJ radionut]

http://www.arrl.org/shop/Grounding-and-Bonding-for-the-Radio-Amateur/

 

[Robalo]

i have
Lightning static Surge Protector from radio shack.

 

[543_Dallas]

Time exposure photo of tree strikeView attachment 31112

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/long-exposure-lightning-tree/

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/long-exposure-lightning-tree/

A misinformation fiasco......