| Author |
Message |
    
Eighteight_zero
New member
Username: Eighteight_zero
Post Number: 1
Registered: 7-2013
| | Posted on Friday, July 26, 2013 - 4:27 pm: | 
|
I am considering mounting my Maco y-quad on a tower against my house, but have often wondered about lightning. I used to have a set of Super Scanners (miss 'em badly) and cringed every time a storm came. I always heard to unhook my coax and stick the end inside a glass jar inside a rubber boot; I admit I did that.
I am worried more now because I have two kids & a wife in the house and worry about fires and such.
Anyone got any real suggestions for safety when it comes to lightning & antennas? |
Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 2801
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Monday, July 29, 2013 - 11:22 am: |
|
Connect the mast to a ground rod hammered all the way into the dirt. Use heavy gauge ground wire. Never put ur coax into a glass jar during lightning! That much energy will shatter glass. Products u can buy to protect ur gear.
Kenny
CEF491
Reading the mail around Indianapolis Indiana!
|
Dale
Senior Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 1946
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 - 7:31 pm: |
|
im guilty of putting coax in a glass jar
during storms. i thought he,d wanna connect
the ground braid/wire to a bottom bolt on tower
[not mast] then pound a 9 feet ground right next to tower to keep the ground as short as possible.
maybe im wrong but if its up say 40 ft or more
that be a long ground.
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
454 [dx numbers]
38lsb
|
Eighteight_zero
New member
Username: Eighteight_zero
Post Number: 3
Registered: 7-2013
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 31, 2013 - 8:48 am: |
|
Thanks for the replies. I'm in the early stages of planning where/how I'm gonna install my tower. I've got a Maco y-quad and am looking at a 30' tower. Planning to erect it next to my house instead of free-standing. One of my concerns was whether or not I should be very concerned about lighting running down my coax and setting my house on fire. I know that's kind of a crazy thought, but nonetheless.... |
Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833
Post Number: 2257
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Friday, August 02, 2013 - 3:39 pm: |
|
Lightning running down your coax will not set your house on fire any more than it would have had your coax not been there.
The trick with lightning is to ground everything and bond everything.
Use a Polyphaser in your coax cable to help protect the equipment and your house.
See here (a review by the late Tech 808)- http://www.copperelectronics.com/discus4/messages/7750/53625.html?1065548330
FYI, I gave 808 an Imax 2000 that ended up taking a direct lightning hit on his tower. The antenna literally exploded into a billion shards of fiberglass hair all over his yard, but 808's radios were still just fine thanks to having the Polyphaser installed.
Placing the end of the coax in a glass jar is a great way to catch your house on fire or blow millions of small shards of glass all over the interior of your home if your antenna is hit.
Your radio 'Mythbuster' since 1998
|
Eighteight_zero
New member
Username: Eighteight_zero
Post Number: 4
Registered: 7-2013
| | Posted on Saturday, August 03, 2013 - 2:29 pm: |
|
Thanks Tech833! I felt a little sheepish asking the question, but I have a lot to learn. Thanks for everyone's input. I'm going to look at a 30' tower this weekend so I'm one step closer to getting my y-quad up. |
Scooterman
Member
Username: Scooterman
Post Number: 51
Registered: 3-2012
| | Posted on Monday, August 05, 2013 - 1:43 am: |
|
I just roll my cable up and hang it out side the house. My tower has three ground rods and one bare wire going up each side of the tower then attached to the pipe of the mast. It is well grounded and transmits and receives well. I just don't trust lightening and antenna mast. I have been thinking about adding a SO-239 connector to the grounds and just leave the antennas shorted to ground when not in use. |
