[Elecraft] Subject: Re: [K3] KIO3 failure mode
Having the laptop charger connected to AC and the KIO3 connected to the laptop is NOT having everything disconnected, Dave. This has been discussed here numerous times and Elecraft warns us each spring to reduce their revenue while saving us from frustration. A recent article in QEX talked about avoiding cable loops (not antennas) in the shack during lightning storms. The nearby strikes and associated EMP can generate sufficient Voltage to damage connected circuits. My rule is to unplug ALL devices associated with my station from commercial AC power and disconnect ALL antennas from any shack connections. Soon, I'll have an entry panel where I can bond the coax/control cables to the external station ground too. I have a spare radio or two just in case the precautions I take don't work. I also have an AC-powered lightning detector to warn me of approaching lightning (and my wife who just texted me 22 miles out"). I unplug and disconnect within 10 miles, if not sooner, even during a contest. I have not lost a KIO3 in either K3 or had a similar problem with my other rigs. 73, Bill Mader, K8TE ARRL New Mexico Section Manager *ARRL - The national association for Amateur Radio**™* Secretary/Treasurer and Past President, Albuquerque DX Association W6H NM Coordinator, Route 66 On-the-Air 10-18 Sep 2022 New Mexico QSO Party 8 Apr 2023 Duke City Hamfest Chairman www.dukecityhamfest.org 15-17 Sep 2023 __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Subject: Re: [K3] KIO3 failure mode
Lightning seems to me the topic on all of the groups currently... so we must be in storm season! I worked with a guy at Honeywell who was trained in atmospheric discharges in his graduate work at MIT. I guess Honeywell was looking into survival of military equipment at the time. He knew I was a ham and told me I was an idiot if I thought I could stop a 30K Amp lightning discharge. He told me the only thing that really works is disconnecting the electronics (which we all already know). He also beat into me that damage does not necessarily occur from lightning itself, but rather different potentials in all of your entrance paths. So its key to make sure that the phone, cable, power, antennas, rotor cables, etc are all tied together so that no matter what, they maintain the same potential during a lightning strike (not necessarily to GROUND). There are many ways to do this of course, but there are two very good references to follow that basically talk about the same thing. One was published by Ron Block and is only two pages (its out in the SteppIR groups files section). The other is a complete book on commercial installations and lightning proofing published by PolyPhaser Corp called “Lightning Protection and Grounding Solutions for Communication Sites” , first edition by Ken Rand, copyright 1999. That is copyright so I can't upload it. Happy reading! __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Subject: Re: [K3] KIO3 failure mode
Pretty sure I said I had everything disconnected from the K3 except for the RS-232 link to the laptop. What part of that do you want to contest? And now I disconnect that as well. Dave AB7E On 8/24/2022 12:10 PM, Bill Mader wrote: Having the laptop charger connected to AC and the KIO3 connected to the laptop is NOT having everything disconnected, Dave. This has been discussed here numerous times and Elecraft warns us each spring to reduce their revenue while saving us from frustration. A recent article in QEX talked about avoiding cable loops (not antennas) in the shack during lightning storms. The nearby strikes and associated EMP can generate sufficient Voltage to damage connected circuits. My rule is to unplug ALL devices associated with my station from commercial AC power and disconnect ALL antennas from any shack connections. Soon, I'll have an entry panel where I can bond the coax/control cables to the external station ground too. I have a spare radio or two just in case the precautions I take don't work. I also have an AC-powered lightning detector to warn me of approaching lightning (and my wife who just texted me 22 miles out"). I unplug and disconnect within 10 miles, if not sooner, even during a contest. I have not lost a KIO3 in either K3 or had a similar problem with my other rigs. 73, Bill Mader, K8TE ARRL New Mexico Section Manager *ARRL - The national association for Amateur Radio**™* Secretary/Treasurer and Past President, Albuquerque DX Association W6H NM Coordinator, Route 66 On-the-Air 10-18 Sep 2022 New Mexico QSO Party 8 Apr 2023 Duke City Hamfest Chairman www.dukecityhamfest.org 15-17 Sep 2023 __ 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 Message delivered to ab7e...@gmail.com __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Subject: Re: [K3] KIO3 failure mode
On 8/24/2022 12:10 PM, Bill Mader wrote: A recent article in QEX talked about avoiding cable loops (not antennas) in the shack during lightning storms. Although I subscribe to QEX, I haven't seen that piece. HOWEVER -- I strongly concur with W8JI that the best strategy is proper BONDING, not disconnection. Study N0AX's ARRL book on the topic, to which I contributed, and this slide deck for talks I've done at west coast conventions and to several clubs. http://k9yc.com/GroundingAndAudio.pdf 73, Jim K9YC __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Subject: Re: [K3] KIO3 failure mode
On 2022-08-24 12:27, Dr. William J. Schmidt wrote: I worked with a guy at Honeywell who was trained in atmospheric discharges in his graduate work at MIT. *** And I once worked for a little company that made railroad equipment. Our devices sat by the railroad tracks and monitored passing trains. Life and property were at stake. And apparently, steel railroad tracks in the middle of nowhere get a LOT of lightning strikes. Our equipment was designed to survive all near strikes, and to break in an easily-fixed manner in case of a direct strike. This was many many years ago, but I remember that each digital I/O input was a comparator. And the part that went to the outside world had a special surge supressor zener, a series high wattage resistor, and I forget what else. In general, that gadget was the highest quality thing I ever worked on - both in hardware and in software - and everything I've worked on since has been crap in comparison. - Jerry, KF6VB __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Subject: Re: [K3] KIO3 failure mode
Unfortunately, SOME of us have had our bonding/grounding plans pushed well down in the priority for 2+ years now Air gap is my only choice right now., Clay E. Autery, Jr. KY5G On 8/24/2022 2:35 PM, Jim Brown wrote: On 8/24/2022 12:10 PM, Bill Mader wrote: A recent article in QEX talked about avoiding cable loops (not antennas) in the shack during lightning storms. Although I subscribe to QEX, I haven't seen that piece. HOWEVER -- I strongly concur with W8JI that the best strategy is proper BONDING, not disconnection. Study N0AX's ARRL book on the topic, to which I contributed, and this slide deck for talks I've done at west coast conventions and to several clubs. http://k9yc.com/GroundingAndAudio.pdf 73, Jim K9YC __ 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 Message delivered to k...@montac.com __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
