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Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

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KeithWE6R

Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

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Hi all, I work on K3's all day and would like to advise/remind folks
that lightning comes in through ANY path it pleases, not just the antenna.
Time and time again folks say they unhooked their antenna but the
lightning took out the DSL modem, computer and K3 via the RS232 port!
Anything connected is a potential path...
Be safe! '73
Keith WE6R

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Rick WA6NHC

Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

Did you tell them to never try buying lottery tickets? :-P

Rick, WA6NHC

iPad = small keypad = typos = sorry ;-)

> On Jul 14, 2014, at 5:19 PM, Keith Trinity WE6R <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Hi all, I work on K3's all day and would like to advise/remind folks that lightning comes in through ANY path it pleases, not just the antenna.
> Time and time again folks say they unhooked their antenna but the lightning took out the DSL modem, computer and K3 via the RS232 port!
> Anything connected is a potential path...
> Be safe! '73
> Keith WE6R
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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Joshua Gould, K8WXA

Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

I don't know about you guys, but I unplug everything that I can't afford to
replace any time there is a storm.... I don't plan on changing that any
time soon

73,
Joshua Gould
K8WXA
EM89pn

On Mon, Jul 14, 2014 at 9:21 PM, Rick Bates, WA6NHC <
[hidden email]> wrote:

> Did you tell them to never try buying lottery tickets? :-P
>
> Rick, WA6NHC
>
> iPad = small keypad = typos = sorry ;-)
>
> > On Jul 14, 2014, at 5:19 PM, Keith Trinity WE6R <[hidden email]>
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi all, I work on K3's all day and would like to advise/remind folks
> that lightning comes in through ANY path it pleases, not just the antenna.
> > Time and time again folks say they unhooked their antenna but the
> lightning took out the DSL modem, computer and K3 via the RS232 port!
> > Anything connected is a potential path...
> > Be safe! '73
> > Keith WE6R
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > Elecraft mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > Post: mailto:[hidden email]
> >
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> > Message delivered to [hidden email]
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Oliver Dröse

Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

In reply to this post by KeithWE6R

Quite difficult when using a remote station 700 km away ... ;-)

73, Olli - DH8BQA

> Am 15.07.2014 um 02:19 schrieb Keith Trinity WE6R <[hidden email]>:
>
> Hi all, I work on K3's all day and would like to advise/remind folks that lightning comes in through ANY path it pleases, not just the antenna.
> Time and time again folks say they unhooked their antenna but the lightning took out the DSL modem, computer and K3 via the RS232 port!
> Anything connected is a potential path...
> Be safe! '73
> Keith WE6R
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
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Dominic Baines-3

Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

In reply to this post by KeithWE6R

Doesn't have to be high above ground or the highest thing about either.

The mast in these photos in only about 8ft AGL.

http://m1kta-qrp.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/lightening-strike.html

72

Dom
M1KTA

On 07/15/2014 01:19 AM, Keith Trinity WE6R wrote:
> Hi all, I work on K3's all day and would like to advise/remind folks
> that lightning comes in through ANY path it pleases, not just the
> antenna.
> Time and time again folks say they unhooked their antenna but the
> lightning took out the DSL modem, computer and K3 via the RS232 port!
> Anything connected is a potential path...
> Be safe! '73
> Keith WE6R

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Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

In reply to this post by KeithWE6R

And another warning: Nearby (like next door) lightning will be picked up by ANY long wires which end up acting as antennas.

I did computer repair in Florida. I had a time share/multitasking system in a law office that had thousands of dollars in damage after the building next door got hit.

The terminals were plugged into serial lines back to the central system. So were the printers. (Think: 6 processor unix type system with a network inside the box)

The tops of ICs were all over the guts of every printer, terminal and the computer let out the magic smoke. ALL of the terminals and printers had been "unplugged" - but not from the RS232 connections.

The ONLY way to isolate the rig is totally unplug the thing: antennas, power supplies and so on... same with your computers.

Down in Florida, there are code required surge MOV's in every circuit breaker panel. All they do is eliminate something close by. They get vaporized by a direct hit.

KK4QDZ - Now with Extra Class Priv's, and a tiny KX3 to enjoy them!

________________________________
From: Keith Trinity WE6R <[hidden email]>
To: [hidden email]
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2014 8:19 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] Unhook *ALL* connections before Lightning storm

Hi all, I work on K3's all day and would like to advise/remind folks
that lightning comes in through ANY path it pleases, not just the antenna.
Time and time again folks say they unhooked their antenna but the
lightning took out the DSL modem, computer and K3 via the RS232 port!
Anything connected is a potential path...
Be safe! '73
Keith WE6R

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alsopb

Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

This sounds like good advice. However, every connector socket on my K3
is populated, ditto the computer, ditto the KPA500, ditto the KAT500.

Pulling all wires when there is a potential storm threat is totally
impractical. Even if I did, I'm sure some of the connectors would
simply not last.

I suspect others have similar situations.

73 de Brian/K3KO

n 7/15/2014 10:58, Bill Blomgren (kk4qdz) via Elecraft wrote:

> And another warning: Nearby (like next door) lightning will be picked up by ANY long wires which end up acting as antennas.
>
> I did computer repair in Florida. I had a time share/multitasking system in a law office that had thousands of dollars in damage after the building next door got hit.
>
> The terminals were plugged into serial lines back to the central system. So were the printers. (Think: 6 processor unix type system with a network inside the box)
>
> The tops of ICs were all over the guts of every printer, terminal and the computer let out the magic smoke. ALL of the terminals and printers had been "unplugged" - but not from the RS232 connections.
>
> The ONLY way to isolate the rig is totally unplug the thing: antennas, power supplies and so on... same with your computers.
>
> Down in Florida, there are code required surge MOV's in every circuit breaker panel. All they do is eliminate something close by. They get vaporized by a direct hit.
>
>
> KK4QDZ - Now with Extra Class Priv's, and a tiny KX3 to enjoy them!
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Keith Trinity WE6R <[hidden email]>
> To: [hidden email]
> Sent: Monday, July 14, 2014 8:19 PM
> Subject: [Elecraft] Unhook *ALL* connections before Lightning storm
>
>
> Hi all, I work on K3's all day and would like to advise/remind folks
> that lightning comes in through ANY path it pleases, not just the antenna.
>
> Time and time again folks say they unhooked their antenna but the
> lightning took out the DSL modem, computer and K3 via the RS232 port!
> Anything connected is a potential path...
> Be safe! '73
> Keith WE6R
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>
>
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>

Elecraft mailing list

Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

The question is "how long are they?" - Ethernet cables are typically 6-20 feet long. A jumper between the rig and amplifier, much shorter.

Length determines how well it acts as an antenna. The cables I worked with were perhaps 20-50 feet long, and made good antennas. Some of the ethernet cables in my apartment are 50 feet long to feed from one extreme to the other. (I do video editing and need at least gigabit end to end...)

Telephone cables will be LONG. Unplug anything connected to dsl or phone lines in general.

Luckily, the apartment I'm in has underground utilities.. However, that nice shot of a tower on the ground getting a direct strike was interesting.

It shows that having a few high trees around that are much higher than the antenna are NOT a reason to not disconnect.

Lightning looks for an interesting way to ground. Don't encourage it by leaving lots of paths in the shack available.

KK4QDZ - Now with Extra Class Priv's, and a tiny KX3 to enjoy them!

________________________________
From: Brian Alsop <[hidden email]>
To: [hidden email]
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2014 7:12 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Unhook *ALL* connections before Lightning storm

This sounds like good advice. However, every connector socket on my K3
is populated, ditto the computer, ditto the KPA500, ditto the KAT500.

Pulling all wires when there is a potential storm threat is totally
impractical. Even if I did, I'm sure some of the connectors would
simply not last.

I suspect others have similar situations.

73 de Brian/K3KO
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John K9UWA-2

Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

Do TV Stations and Radio Stations and Cellphone towers disconnect all
their equipment everytime there is a storm in the area?

Obviously the answer is NO they don't disconnect and they don't even turn
their equipment off. Yet is survives direct lightening hits on their towers and
equipment.

In other words there are ways that you also can protect your equipment
without disconnecting it. You need a well designed ground system. This
means a single ground system for everything that is in your home or a part
of your antenna system. During a direct strike on the tower 90% of the hit
should be bled off directly to ground through the ground system made up of
many ground rods all connected together by proper copper connection. This
leaves around 10% of the hit left for all the "Devices" that are connected to
all the metal anythings that come and go from your home. Includes incoming
power lines Telco lines Cable TV lines as well as all your rotor control lines
relay lines and coax cables from the antennas. Anything that is metal that
comes and goes from the house needs a protection device on it.

I have three towers the tallest has antennas up to 175 feet above ground.
The tallest trees here are around 70 feet high. So the towers get hit many
times. They have been up since 1988. During the summer of 1989 I had a
major hit on the tall tower that destroyed nearly everything in the house. TV
sets microwaves all radios all computers many coax cables and other wires.
But I learned the hard way to protect my system. I was placed on High Risk
Homeowners insurance and the company that was assigned my insurance
said I had 30 days to either get a proper ground system installed of get
those towers all on the ground. We installed 100 ground rods all connected
together by 1200 feet of 3/8" ID copper tubing. We installed a single point
ground window where all the cables coming and going to the towers enter
the house. Every wire has some sort of protection device on it. The main
power line coming to the house has a protector device on it. The towers and
antennas have since then withstood many strikes by lightening. Many
surges from hits down the road that come in on the power lines. All with
ZERO DAMAGE to anything in the house or on the towers. I did get lots of
help from the techs at Polyphaser regarding how to build the system and
how to install it. Total cost of this grounding system in 1989 was around
$3,000 for all of it. Zero Labor as I and a couple other local hams installed all
of it. Today we operate the station remotely during part of the winter so no
way to unhook and rehook any of it.

So you too can be safe and not worry about blowing up your equipment.

Polyphaser Turn Blitz into Bliss.

John k9uwa

John Goller, K9UWA & Jean Goller, N9PXF
Antique Radio Restorations
[hidden email]
Visit our Web Site at:
http://www.JohnJeanAntiqueRadio.com
4836 Ranch Road
Leo, IN 46765
USA
1-260-637-6426

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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

In reply to this post by alsopb

The alternative to disconnecting everything is to design your ham
station to tolerate lightning events.
There was a very good 3 part series in QST for June, July and August of
2002 that dealt with the design of a station for lightning protection.
Those articles are available at
http://www.arrl.org/lightning-protection. I highly recommend it.

Some of the "ground rules" given in the article:
All towers and masts grounded with buried radial wires and ground rods
to spread the impact of a strike over a large area of the earth.
Perimeter ground wires around any building with a driven ground rod at
each place the wire changes direction. (lightning likes to travel in a
straight line).
Bring all services into the ham shack through a common grounded copper
panel fitted with suppression devices - that includes feedlines, power,
CAT5 cables, phone cables, and everything else.
Keep any equipment or devices that are not powered/connected through the
above panel out of reach of the operating position.

There is no guarantee that the above steps will eliminate failures due
to lightning, but it will go a long way toward achieving that goal. The
real goal is to keep *everything* in the shack at the same potential
during a lightning event.

I have attempted to use those guidelines in the construction of my shack
and antenna field. All my feedlines are automatically grounded when the
station is turned off, and I do not attempt to operate when there is
lightning nearby - and I get stay out of the shack during storms.
We had a lightning event here last year that took out the Ethernet
router, several switches, 3 computers and 2 network attached printers.
None of the ham gear was damaged.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 7/15/2014 7:12 AM, Brian Alsop wrote:

> This sounds like good advice. However, every connector socket on my
> K3 is populated, ditto the computer, ditto the KPA500, ditto the KAT500.
>
> Pulling all wires when there is a potential storm threat is totally
> impractical. Even if I did, I'm sure some of the connectors would
> simply not last.
>
> I suspect others have similar situations.
>
> 73 de Brian/K3KO
>
> n 7/15/2014 10:58, Bill Blomgren (kk4qdz) via Elecraft wrote:
>> And another warning: Nearby (like next door) lightning will be
>> picked up by ANY long wires which end up acting as antennas.
>>

k6dgw

Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

In reply to this post by John K9UWA-2

No. I supported myself in college working at KSBY-TV in San Luis Obispo
at the end 59 and early 60's Our studio and TX were located on Cuesta
Ridge overlooking the city, directly adjacent to the base of the 400'
tower. In the building, the multitude of cables [mainly 75 ohm coax]
ran in trenches in the concrete floor, which were covered with 1/4"
removable steel plates.

Lightning strikes [common in storms] only put us off the air once that I
remember, but caused a totally deafening "clang" from all those trench
covers. :-) The one time we went down was just a popped breaker on the
mains to the 10 KW visual PA, the aural PA stayed up. We never lost any
equipment to lightning.

Unplugging all the cables behind my K-Line, an area that gives new
meaning to the term "wireless", would happen exactly once. I'd never
manage to get all of them reconnected.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2014 Cal QSO Party 4-5 Oct 2014
- www.cqp.org

On 7/15/2014 6:35 AM, John K9UWA wrote:
> Do TV Stations and Radio Stations and Cellphone towers disconnect all
> their equipment everytime there is a storm in the area?

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Alan Bloom

Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

In reply to this post by John K9UWA-2

On 07/15/2014 06:35 AM, John K9UWA wrote:
> Do TV Stations and Radio Stations and Cellphone towers disconnect all
> their equipment everytime there is a storm in the area?
>
> Obviously the answer is NO they don't disconnect and they don't even turn
> their equipment off. Yet is survives direct lightening hits on their towers and
> equipment.

I volunteer for KBBF-FM, the local bilingual community broadcast station
here in northern California. The antenna is on top of Mount Saint
Helena, north of Santa Rosa. Compared to some areas of the country,
lightning is not common here.

However, about three years ago the electrical pole that feeds the
transmitter shack was hit by lightning. The pole exploded and ended up
in pieces on the ground:

http://kbbf-fm.org/images/DamagedPoleM.jpg

The electrical service entrance meter was blown off the wall. We found
it lying in the grass about 30 feet (10 meters) away from the building.
The main transmitter was fried and had to be removed for repair. The
950 MHz STL (Studio to Transmitter Link) antenna was also damaged beyond
repair but, surprisingly, the STL receiver itself survived.

After repairing the electrical wiring inside the building we were able
to get back on the air using the backup transmitter, the backup STL
system and the emergency generator.

I think the moral is that it is pretty much impossible to absolutely
protect against a direct lightning strike. If I lived in an area where
thunderstorms were common I would make my station as lightning-hardened
as possible and ALSO disconnect everything when a storm is imminent.

Alan N1AL
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k1htv

Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

In reply to this post by KeithWE6R

I agree with Brian, its not very easy to pull off all wires and cables if you have a complex setup with multiple antennas and radios with many cables attached. In the K1HTV Ham shack I use my K3 and a few other radios on multiple modes on the HF, VHF & UHF bands. Rather than removing all cables each time a storm is in the area, it is much more important to focus on installing a excellent ground system.

Here at the K1HTV QTH, I've installed a perimeter ground around the house with 8 ft ground rods every 16-20 feet. The 77 ft tall tower with HF, VHF an HF antennas on it. An array of 8 ft long ground rods fan out from the tower and are connected to it and to the perimeter ground wire where it passes the tower. All coax cables from the tower to the shack are at or below ground level and enter the shack via 'UHF', 'F' or 'N' Female-to-Female barrel connectors attached to a steel box. This box is also connected to the perimeter ground, using 4 gauge wire. Rotator and control cables from the tower enter the box and each wire is protected with gas gaps to ground. The shack ground and the AC power panel are both tied to the perimeter ground system so both are at the same potential. If this isn't done, a large difference of potential can be developed in a lightning strike. The shack has a single point ground which connects to the steel cable entry box. Where the coax cable leaves the
multi-port HF antenna switch to be connected to the K3, there is a gap device to ground via a UHF Tee connector.

Using good grounding techniques, in my 56 years of Hamming I've never lost a piece of Ham equipment to lightning. That's not to say that there won't ever be a direct lightning hit that will cause damage. For now, I plan to continue to leave all equipment connected. Its just too impractical to disconnect everything.

Just make sure that your household insurance is paid for and that it covers lightning damage.

73,
Rich - K1HTV

= = =

This sounds like good advice. However, every connector socket on my K3
is populated, ditto the computer, ditto the KPA500, ditto the KAT500.

Pulling all wires when there is a potential storm threat is totally
impractical. Even if I did, I'm sure some of the connectors would
simply not last.

I suspect others have similar situations.

73 de Brian/K3KO

n 7/15/2014 10:58, Bill Blomgren (kk4qdz) via Elecraft wrote:

Edward R Cole

Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

In reply to this post by KeithWE6R

I found John, K9UWA's reply very interesting. Seems a how-to manual
is needed for folks exposed to lightning and wanting protection technology.

I am fortunate to live in a nearly lightning-free area. We hear
thunder maybe one time every 3-4 years and I have only experienced
actual lightning activity during an hour long freak storm about 2
years ago. This experience is over 35-years living
here. High-winds, earthquakes, tsunami's, volcanoes -
yes! Lightning -no. ...oh and winter!

The only time I hear lightning crash static is when propagation
favors hearing from areas that have lightning. Most of the time
80/160/600m is static-crash silent. 600m is quiet all year long.

So it would be my guess that the important wire connections to
disconnect are the ones that go outside the station: all ac electric
connections, all antennas, all telco/internet connections. Interface
wiring between pieces of equipment in one room should not be an issue
as long as the "outside" world is disconnected. That should lessen
the number of cables to disconnect.

My station would be a nightmare to disconnect with 17 coax lines and
probably 2 dozen ac cords to disconnect. Then there are the multiple
rotator and control lines, some of which run directly to tower tops
(four towers and a dish) with no break. That's what you get running
on 14 separate bands from 600m to 23cm!

73, Ed - KL7UW
http://www.kl7uw.com
"Kits made by KL7UW"
Dubus Mag business:
[hidden email]

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Elecraft mailing list

Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

In reply to this post by Don Wilhelm-4

As a side issue - one of the stations down in tampa ended up off the air for a week. A lightning strike melted their heliax and antenna system was destroyed. The antenna was on the top of a bank building (about 70 stories up.)-- using the building frame as ground, and then in the ground under the bank building.

The transmitter, luckily, was not destroyed. (significant damage of course) However depending on where you are, and the strength of the strike... all bets are off. One station I helped put on the air (which had -2- layers of copper plates in the trench between the transmitter shack and the studio with the trench under ground had the entire rectifier stack in a Collins FM transmitter melted, assorted other stuff there... the lightning then hopped into the trench (on the ground) - and destroyed all the monitoring gear in the rack where it terminated.

.Of course, that is Florida, where lightning tends to be 2-5 times stronger than other spots in the country.

KK4QDZ - Now with Extra Class Priv's, and a tiny KX3 to enjoy them!

________________________________
From: Don Wilhelm <[hidden email]>
To: [hidden email]
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2014 9:49 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Unhook *ALL* connections before Lightning storm

The alternative to disconnecting everything is to design your ham
station to tolerate lightning events.
There was a very good 3 part series in QST for June, July and August of
2002 that dealt with the design of a station for lightning protection.
Those articles are available at
http://www.arrl.org/lightning-protection. I highly recommend it.

Some of the "ground rules" given in the article:
All towers and masts grounded with buried radial wires and ground rods
to spread the impact of a strike over a large area of the earth.
Perimeter ground wires around any building with a driven ground rod at
each place the wire changes direction. (lightning likes to travel in a
straight line).
Bring all services into the ham shack through a common grounded copper
panel fitted with suppression devices - that includes feedlines, power,
CAT5 cables, phone cables, and everything else.
Keep any equipment or devices that are not powered/connected through the
above panel out of reach of the operating position.

There is no guarantee that the above steps will eliminate failures due
to lightning, but it will go a long way toward achieving that goal. The
real goal is to keep *everything* in the shack at the same potential
during a lightning event.

I have attempted to use those guidelines in the construction of my shack
and antenna field. All my feedlines are automatically grounded when the
station is turned off, and I do not attempt to operate when there is
lightning nearby - and I get stay out of the shack during storms.
We had a lightning event here last year that took out the Ethernet
router, several switches, 3 computers and 2 network attached printers.
None of the ham gear was damaged.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 7/15/2014 7:12 AM, Brian Alsop wrote:

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George Danner

Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

In reply to this post by k1htv

As the CE of a TV station in South Florida we had to contend with lightning
during about 4 to 6 months a year (spring & fall thunderstorm seasons) in
the highest lightning strike area of North America.
We did not ever shut down but did go to generator power during lightning
within 25 miles; as seen on the radar display with lightning strikes
superimposed.

We had a 1,049' main tower, 2-500' microwave receive towers and a 185' tower
at the studio not to mention 2 bureaus with antennas on the 3rd floors.
The towers had massive ring ground systems. The rings varied from 20'
diameter to 30' diameter. each ring had 10' & 20' alternating 100% copper
rods cad welded to a 4-0 bare copper wire. The ring was attached to the
tower leg's 20' ground rod with 2 or 3 radials per leg. The tower ground rod
was set in the foundation to be next to the leg and connected to the leg
with the least angle. (remember a right angle from the leg is a 1/4 turn
inductor!). The guyed towers also had a ring ground system around the
anchor.

All RF, video, audio & data signals going to the tower at the site were
protected with commercial protectors except the studio tower which was
replaced with fiber to carry those signals.

We probably took between 6 and 10 direct hits on a good year and many many
more on a bad year.

The new studio & one of the bureaus had a ground system constructed to
reduce lightning damage. The building had a perimeter ground system with a
single point power & phone and the exit panel for RF, video, audio, data and
dc control. The ground systems was 4-0 copper with ground rods about 10'
apart.

We did find that our damage was reduced but not eliminated. We never went
off the air; but we did have periods where we were using redundant (back-up)
equipment for a while until the main equipment could be repaired.

Our largest reduction in damage occurred once we deployed dissipation
arrays! These reduce the space charge in the immediate area in hopes the
lightning choses another location (competitor's tower). My experience with
towers, satellite antennas & ENG microwave antennas on 50' masts on trucks
is that the dissipation array is #1 then a ground system followed with surge
protectors. I would not chose one but all three.

We had a saying at work about lightning protection after repairing extensive
damage after a bad hit - Lightning protection is akin to elephant
repellant - just because you don't see an elephant does not indicate the
repellent actually works. I spent over 30 years in South Florida and would
never come close to guaranteeing that we had finally done everything to
eliminate the risk!

Not sure at what point you should stop spending money on lightning
protection for a hobby should go. For me at my new QTH it will probably be a
few surge protectors, grounding each mast & tiny tower and a simple ground
improvement to the house.
73
George
AI4VZ

-----Original Message-----
From: Rich - K1HTV

Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Unhook *ALL* connections before Lightning storm

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MontyS

Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

In reply to this post by Edward R Cole

Ed,

I disagree. While the bonding and grounding recommended as standard sound
good, there are times when even that is inadequate.

I had a lightning discharge over my home in NJ - no direct hit, just huge
induced currents in all cables, wires, etc., in the house. The hair rose on
my arm before the discharge.

I lost serial interfaces on a laser printer (no outside connection), Daisy
wheel printer (same), computer motherboard (same save for AC power, but the
power supply was unaffected.)

I am a firm believer in disconnecting all cables and wires, including ground
wires. I have never had lightning damage when I do so.

We now live in Florida, lightning capital of North America. The only
lightning damage I've had is to a cable modem, and a K3 disconnected from
aerials and power but not my computer.

Monty K2DLJ

So it would be my guess that the important wire connections to
disconnect are the ones that go outside the station: all ac electric
connections, all antennas, all telco/internet connections. Interface
wiring between pieces of equipment in one room should not be an issue
as long as the "outside" world is disconnected. That should lessen
the number of cables to disconnect.

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David McAnally

Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

If you include a lightning protection system in your home and radio station
construction, be sure to perform regular follow-up inspections of the
system. As lightning protection systems age and corrode, or new
construction or changes are implemented, the system needs to be tested and
evaluated to be sure it can perform when required.

A ham friend does inspection of lightning protection systems
professionally. I got some first hand education when a NWS forecast office
had lightning damage. They discovered after the fact that the building and
tower protection system had corroded and needed upgrading. It was a costly
experience.

My mother lost several items worth thousands of dollars to lightning damage
just a few weeks ago in Oklahoma. The lack of lightning protection was as
much a factor as the lighting. Many of the items were connected via UPS
boxes. UPS's cannot substitute for a lightning protection system. As has
been noted by others, she cannot disconnect everything in the house.
Sadly, she had just settled an ins claim for hail storm damage. I don't
think her insurance company is very happy with her.

Regards,
David McAnally
WD5M
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Fred Townsend-2

Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

In reply to this post by KeithWE6R

Elecraft mailing list

Re: Unhook ALL connections before Lightning storm

In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list

I have had several instances of nearby impulse damage and surge voltage
on the AC line. It could have been very expensive but for insurance.

I would put in a plug for either the ARRL or Ham Radio Insurance
Associates equipment insurance. HRIA will cover up to $5000 in losses
for $136/yr including Mechanical Breakdown. The two policies are very
different so review them to decide which is best for you.

If you love your K Line as much as I do, you'll get it insured.

Buck
k4ia

On 7/15/2014 6:58 AM, Bill Blomgren (kk4qdz) via Elecraft wrote:

> And another warning: Nearby (like next door) lightning will be picked up by ANY long wires which end up acting as antennas.
>
> I did computer repair in Florida. I had a time share/multitasking system in a law office that had thousands of dollars in damage after the building next door got hit.
>
> The terminals were plugged into serial lines back to the central system. So were the printers. (Think: 6 processor unix type system with a network inside the box)
>
> The tops of ICs were all over the guts of every printer, terminal and the computer let out the magic smoke. ALL of the terminals and printers had been "unplugged" - but not from the RS232 connections.
>
> The ONLY way to isolate the rig is totally unplug the thing: antennas, power supplies and so on... same with your computers.
>
> Down in Florida, there are code required surge MOV's in every circuit breaker panel. All they do is eliminate something close by. They get vaporized by a direct hit.
>
>
> KK4QDZ - Now with Extra Class Priv's, and a tiny KX3 to enjoy them!
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Keith Trinity WE6R <[hidden email]>
> To: [hidden email]
> Sent: Monday, July 14, 2014 8:19 PM
> Subject: [Elecraft] Unhook *ALL* connections before Lightning storm
>
>
> Hi all, I work on K3's all day and would like to advise/remind folks
> that lightning comes in through ANY path it pleases, not just the antenna.
> Time and time again folks say they unhooked their antenna but the
> lightning took out the DSL modem, computer and K3 via the RS232 port!
> Anything connected is a potential path...
> Be safe! '73
> Keith WE6R
>
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Unhook *ALL* connections before Lightning storm

Unhook *ALL* connections before Lightning storm

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