Plugged or Unplug

[N9FE]

We just had some damn good lightning snappin here. One very close too. Some say i never unplug anything, If you get hit you get hit. Myself being on the it takes forever to save up to buy a radio side, Unplug everything including the ground. The tower legs are grounded, But thats it. Never lost anything...... YET !! :clap:

[N8YX]

Shut down and unplug.

Rigs are switched via antenna switches to dummy loads, and the antennas which are connected to the tuners are grounded.

Except in the case of big supercells roaming the area - then, EVERYTHING is disconnected.

[kb2vxa]

You can get caught by surprise when asleep or away from home so maybe it's better to plug in only when in use?

[KB3LAZ]

Too lazy and that is what homeowners insurance is for.

[W3WN]

Too lazy and that is what homeowners insurance is for.

Better check your deductibles and the fine print on your policy. If you don't like what you read or hear from your agent, either find a different insurance company, or call W3WH at Ham Radio Insurance Associates for supplemental coverage!

[N9FE]

Would you buy a used car from this man ?? :stickpoke::rofl::rofl:

[kb2vxa]

Hard to say, while all used car salesmen are vampires not all vampires are used car salesmen... most are politicians.

[W3WN]

Hard to say, while all used car salesmen are vampires not all vampires are used car salesmen... most are politicians.

I know I'm going to regret doing this, but it's just too good an opportunity to pass up...

Are you saying that this implies that most politicians suck?

[KG4CGC]

In 2005 I lost two computers due to lightning. First one came through a back window, heard the computer "pop" even though it was off and then it left through the front window in the kitchen. It was a ball about the size of a baseball.
Second time it came though the wall, hovered between the wall and the back of the computer for half a second, "popped" and then dissipated. It was another ball but smaller than a marble and it left a mark on the wall like a sunburst. Very light in coloring, gray, not really black.

I did not have any radios set up at the time but two hard hits two months apart really concerned me. We've not had a lightning "problem" in the past but I noticed the sound that the storms had to them was especially strange. Like it was being contained in a long tube and the whole time I would have that feeling on my skin that I was about to get hit. Why was my little section so attractive to the electromagnetic waves as all the storms that occurred during this period all had that sound and feel.
I looked around and noticed how there was nothing to bleed off the static close enough to the dwelling. Trees to the back of the back yard. Very very tall trees across the street in the neighbor's front yard. Trees towards the furthest side of one side neighbor and the other side neighbor only had trees way back furthest away from me. So, was I like in a bowl filling up with electrons that were just sitting there drawing in electromagnetic turbulence? I was going to put up my Antron anyway so I did. I've always grounded the outer connectors, skin, whatever you wish to call it on that antenna. Whether it was just coincidence or not, the next storm to pass though did not have that feel or sound to it. Nor did the next storm, nor the one after, and so on, and so on etc ad nauseum.

So, was it my actions? Probably had something to do with it. If nothing else, this story should serve as advice. Disconnect and GROUND your antenna because they are probably bleeding off electrons during a storm and maybe even saving your azz from a direct lightning strike.

[N8YX]

If at all possible, you should utilize shunt feeds and ground the tower, antennas and all control cable shields.

Ladderline gets a big double knife switch for disconnection purposes.

Coaxial-equipped, series-fed antennas such as dipoles get their feedlines grounded or disconnected altogether. It's possible in some cases to bleed off static from a series-fed antenna via a 2+ mH RF choke run from the feedpoint to ground; I have one at the base of each of my Hustler verticals.

Trans-Traps, Blitz Bugs and similar EMI suppression devices also provide a measure of protection when placed in the feedline near the service entrance and connected to a GOOD ground.

Lastly - unplug everything from the wall during big storms with lots of C-G lightning. Period.

[VK3ZL]

Lightning alley at this QTH....Whenever the shack is not in use I totally isolate all equipment including the earth buss.....I only have two cables and a 24 volt switching line exiting the house running to an outside shed which contains all the switching relays and balanced tuners....The LDF/450 cables from the vertical antennas and the tuned lines from an inverted V also terminate in that shed..I physically disconnect and ground the coaxes and tuned lines as well as the cables which come into the house....As I live on a very high and exposed hill I often get a lightning strike on the big 160 meter verticals...Fortunately all this is dissipated across the radial field and causes no damage...The verticals are about 200 feet from the house....I also have a 90 foot mast 20 feet from the house which is used to hold up a couple of wire antennas....This was struck by lightning twice in the space of 1 minute one morning....No damage but frightened hell out of us when it happened....

Disconnecting cables and stuff is a tedious ritual but no way do I wish to invite lightning into the shack....
;)
Bob..VK3ZL..

[kb2vxa]

Like I said, only connect what you're using while you're using it?

[KG4CGC]

Like I said, only connect what you're using while you're using it?
True dat yo!
Also consider the pattern of afternoon thunder storms that pop up out of nowhere, usually in the late afternoon, evening. It could be clear and sunny at 3pm and you run to the store. It starts pouring down suddenly and your gear is still hooked up. You were just going to pick up a couple of small things, right? I suppose having a little altitude of being in a flat area helps a bit in that you can survey the sky and look for those tall clouds forming in the distance. Or ... a cheap receiver in the background to listen for static crashes as they grow in intensity while on approach.

[kb2vxa]

If we get popcorn T storms in NJ I'm sure you get them in SC. I've watched them pop up, dump rain and lightning for a few miles and poop out all in a matter of minutes so I doubt you'd have time to see one coming before... KA-BOOM! AAAaaahhh, static crashes.

[KG4CGC]

If we get popcorn T storms in NJ I'm sure you get them in SC. I've watched them pop up, dump rain and lightning for a few miles and poop out all in a matter of minutes so I doubt you'd have time to see one coming before... KA-BOOM! AAAaaahhh, static crashes.
I agree. That is also something to consider.