Mike has given very good and helpful answers. I would like to add the
following:
I have been hit 3 times since 2009 and they have all been direct hits with
black marks on the wall and much damage. Damage so bad that it melted the
air conditioner, the city sewer system both the electronics and pumping
system. The GOOD news is ALL OF THE HAM GEAR and TEST BENCH SURVIVED with NO
DAMAGE. To understand why MY gear survived... May I suggest the following:
1. Internet: Don’t use direct connection (RJ-45) to your modem, use RF
connection for added lightning protection. The new RF (USB) sticks are so
much faster than the older ones.
2. RF: Disconnect all antenna connection and put the pig-tale
in a glass gar or some kind of insulator. Lightning can jump from the ends
of coax connectors, so don't forget putting them in insulator when not in
use or during storm.
3. AC POWER: Either disconnect, or at least use double switch box. The type
that has both a master switch and separate switches for each item. Both need
to be shut off. Having said that it is still best to disconnect.
NOTE: Lightning protectors and surge protectors DO NOT work all of the time
and almost never work with direct hit. Nothing protects like disconnection
of gear. People who tell you other wise are either salesmen (selling you
lightning protection), or just people that have never seen direct hits. I
serviced commercial two way systems and central dispatch systems and more
for 40 years. I can tell you that Lightning does what it wants to do and not
what you would expect. Even if you have all of the recommended surge
protection, it is still best to follow the above rules. Mike is right,
repairing after lightning is (at best) a maybe. I have been lucky in being
able to repair peoples equipment hit by lightning, but I do not recommend
it. Please Disconnect.
73, Bruce, W8HW
======================================================
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Walker
Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2014 7:41 PM
To: flexradio@flex-radio.biz
Subject: Re: [Flexradio] Lightning Strikes
Ouch, that is too bad.
If you haven't filed a claim on your house insurance, you need to do that
now. They will take care of determining what has failed. At least, that
is what I did on a hydro surge. This is why you pay for it.
For you 5000, the easiest test is to try another computer. However, if the
ethernet card is gone, it will have taken most other things on the bus.
But, sadly it is a crap shoot.
The 5000 should be written off by your insurance company as there is no way
to be 100% that you can repair it back to factory specs. It just isn't
practical at all.
I say all the above as an ex Manager of a Ham Radio Store. We would get
one of these per week and everyone was handled by the insurance. We never
tried to repair anything as there was no way to guarantee it. They also
have their professionals who do this.
We never had any trouble with any claims either.
Again, sorry to hear that. It is a pain in the butt, but you should come
out ok.
Mike va3mw
On Thu, Jul 17, 2014 at 7:30 PM, Hunter Ellington via FlexRadio <
flexradio@flex-radio.biz> wrote:
Lightning hit the shack last evening. Although everything was on surge
protectors, spikes came in through the phone line, blew the surge
protector
and took out my DSL modem. I further discovered that my computer seems to
have lost its Ethernet card, and maybe the Firewire card. The F5000A
turns
on, but the computer does not see it. What tests can I do to determine
whether the communication issue is with the radio, the computer, or both?
K0GFY R. Hunter Ellington
303-996-6585/720-560-8139
P.O. Box 44
Larkspur, CO 80118
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