I absolutely agree. I have a deep heavy ground rod right outside my window. Have a 4 inch copper strap coming into the shack where all pieces of equipment are individually grounded to this. Outside, the ground rod is attached to # 4 wire that goes to the house ground and to the 70 Ft tower. Then I have 6 ground rods around the tower that attach to the tower. Also have ground rods every 15 ft attached to the wire going to the house ground. I have had two direct hits and never lost a piece of equipment except for the traps on the Mosley PRO67B-3. I too have seen hits near the house. I know I am just lucky but tried to do the best I could with the grounding. Plus I have ARRL insurance.
Phil Philip LaMarche LaMarche Enterprises, Inc p...@lamarcheenterprises.com www.LaMarcheEnterprises.com 727-944-3226 727-937-8834 Fax 727-510-5038 Cell www.w9dvm.com K3 #1605 CCA 98-00827 CRA 1701 W9DVM -----Original Message----- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of WILLIS COOKE Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2011 3:46 PM To: Steve Ellington; Elecraft Reflector Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Ligntning protection No, it will drain the electrostatic field in the vacinity and make it less likely to get hit. I have watched lightning strike my neighbor's 15 ft brick chimney about 100 ft away from my well grounded 70 ft tower with two beams installed. The better the grounding, the better and bonding it to the power entrance ground is a good thing as well. Willis 'Cookie' Cooke K5EWJ ________________________________ From: Steve Ellington <n...@carolina.rr.com> To: Fred Townsend <ftowns...@sbcglobal.net>; Randy Moore <wrmoor...@gmail.com>; Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Thu, April 21, 2011 2:27:46 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Ligntning protection Question: Does grounding your tower or metal mast increase the likelihood of it being hit by lightning? I have a 50' metal mast holding up the center of a dipole. No antenna contacts the mast and the ant. is supported by rope. Should I drive in a ground rod just for the mast? If I do, would lightning be attracted to it then? It just seems like I'm inviting a hit by grounding it. Steve N4LQ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Fred Townsend" <ftowns...@sbcglobal.net> To: "'Randy Moore'" <wrmoor...@gmail.com>; <Elecraft@mailman.qth.net> Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 12:19 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Ligntning protection > Randy: > I can not speak to your local building codes but the rule of thumb is > lightning does not like to travel horizontally. That doesn't mean it won't > happen but usually lightning seeks the shortest path to ground. That > suggests you should connect to the closest ground (exception: any fuel > line). > If possible I would drive my own ground rod below the shack and use the > garage ground as well. There is no penalty for extra grounds. > > 73 > de AE6QL, Fred > > -----Original Message----- > From: Randy Moore [mailto:wrmoor...@gmail.com] > Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 8:15 AM > To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Ligntning protection > > Sorry if someone has already asked this. My shack is on the second floor > of > my home and is on the opposite corner of the house from where the > electrical > power entry and ground are located. However, the electrical panel is in > the > garage right below my shack. Can I connect my shack ground to the panel > ground instead of running a ~200' long line to the electrical ground on > the > other end of the house? > > Tnx es 73, > Randy, KS4L > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
