I had the new GPA behind the house up last week....
To make sure I had the best SWR and best signal, I use thick coax, and
left out the coupling piece I had that I used to disconnect in case
lighting was expected.
The weather report was good, with a drop of rain, and the sky was clear....
I went to sleep.
At 3.25 last night I woke up because of an incredible flash and BANG.
Thought "have to buy new gear now, pity..." hehe).
LOL
But nothing was smoking, counted seconds between flashes (more now),
it was overhead alright.
But my neighbor (50 meters away) has a higher mast.
Anyway, it started raining, usually there is enough conductive path then
for it not no strike, I went outside in pyamas, waited for a flash,
(clouds take time to charge up again) and cut the coax, folded it back,
so there was some meters separation.
Went to bed again, noticed I was wet...
Just now I put some connecters and a coupling piece, so that is fixed.
So, anyways the sky is clear and the sun shines, and the SWR is slightly
better now...
But now I am thinking 'lightning detector', I know these exist, was it not
a simple ferrite rod with a detector (for low frequencies)?
Does anyone here use these?
Good diagrams?
I should google anyways....

Anyways I made some other changes too, I am now running the set from a 12 Ah
12V gel battery,
It is charged continously with an AC/DC adapter, no large power supplies needed.
and I can use things when electricity fails, say in case of flooding.

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Jan Panteltje wrote:

I had the new GPA behind the house up last week....
To make sure I had the best SWR and best signal, I use thick coax, and
left out the coupling piece I had that I used to disconnect in case
lighting was expected.
The weather report was good, with a drop of rain, and the sky was clear....
I went to sleep.
At 3.25 last night I woke up because of an incredible flash and BANG.
Thought "have to buy new gear now, pity..." hehe).
LOL
But nothing was smoking, counted seconds between flashes (more now),
it was overhead alright.
But my neighbor (50 meters away) has a higher mast.
Anyway, it started raining, usually there is enough conductive path then
for it not no strike, I went outside in pyamas, waited for a flash,
(clouds take time to charge up again) and cut the coax, folded it back,
so there was some meters separation.
Went to bed again, noticed I was wet...
Just now I put some connecters and a coupling piece, so that is fixed.
So, anyways the sky is clear and the sun shines, and the SWR is slightly
better now...
But now I am thinking 'lightning detector', I know these exist, was it not
a simple ferrite rod with a detector (for low frequencies)?
Does anyone here use these?
Good diagrams?
I should google anyways....

Anyways I made some other changes too, I am now running the set from a 12 Ah
12V gel battery,
It is charged continously with an AC/DC adapter, no large power supplies needed.
and I can use things when electricity fails, say in case of flooding.

_________________________________________
Usenet Zone Free Binaries Usenet Server
More than 140,000 groups
Unlimited download
http://www.usenetzone.com to open account
all the work to set up a station and no lightning protection scheme?
there are many ways to protect the equipment including gas discharge
kit. any surge protection on the ac input?

On a sunny day (Mon, 26 Sep 2005 19:41:07 -0400) it happened jim
wrote in :

all the work to set up a station and no lightning protection scheme?
there are many ways to protect the equipment including gas discharge
kit. any surge protection on the ac input?

mmm maybe the situation is different here.
And I do no see how I could make 100% lightning protection, neither
against EMP in case of a nuke attack.
As lighting is on average rather rare...
I found some diagrams of lightning detectors using google.
There seem to be basically 2 types, one with tuned antenna, and the other
with not tuned antenna.
The second would always trigger if anybody here in the area (I am
surrounded by CB fans) presses transmit....
So, last night I wound 500 turns of wire on an old ferrite rod,
tuned it with 100pF, then with 100nF.
I have this old helium neon laser supply, if you remove the laser
(it was kaput anyways), it makes great arcs.
Used oscilloscope to measure signals... and resonance of the ferrite
coil + cap.
So I can tune it from 3kHz to about 50 kHz.

Later I will look at what sort of pre-amp and pulse detector I will use,
it is small can go in a plastic box, and should trigger some beep
that alerts me.

That said, I left the little radio LW receiver I have on at about 163 kHz,
and feeding that into the PC for signal processing would also work.
So much for electronics.

Problem with lightning *protection* is (and I have worked with HV power
stuff) it will easily jump over whatever you make.. we used to play with 100kV
in the lab.... better to prevent it getting in the house in the first place
by disconnecting antennas.
My view anyways, cheap better solutions show me!
Those so called mains surge protectors you plug in the wall for the computer
are not worth the cost of box they come in.
I have one, opened it, it has 2 pins. some mm apart, that are supposed to
function as a spark gap.
In series with that is a VDR (voltage dependent resistor).
That crap will evaporate .... You will have several kV on ground and neutral
in case of a real hit....
And good thing, mains is here where I am all underground cable, so nothing
to worry about.
US is different I know, transformers with wiring on poles outside...
At most you can expect a power failure, when I run on gel battery I am free
of mains (but set is connected to PC for for example packet, voice control,
recording, headset... so once lightning DID make it on the mains it would
all evaporate).
I have seen TV PCBs (used to have a TV repair shop) with all tracks evaporated
because of lightning strike.
YMMV

"jim" wrote in message
...
Jan Panteltje wrote:

I had the new GPA behind the house up last week....
To make sure I had the best SWR and best signal, I use thick coax, and
left out the coupling piece I had that I used to disconnect in case
lighting was expected.
The weather report was good, with a drop of rain, and the sky was
clear....
I went to sleep.
At 3.25 last night I woke up because of an incredible flash and BANG.
Thought "have to buy new gear now, pity..." hehe).
LOL
But nothing was smoking, counted seconds between flashes (more now),
it was overhead alright.
But my neighbor (50 meters away) has a higher mast.
Anyway, it started raining, usually there is enough conductive path then
for it not no strike, I went outside in pyamas, waited for a flash,
(clouds take time to charge up again) and cut the coax, folded it back,
so there was some meters separation.
Went to bed again, noticed I was wet...
Just now I put some connecters and a coupling piece, so that is fixed.
So, anyways the sky is clear and the sun shines, and the SWR is slightly
better now...
But now I am thinking 'lightning detector', I know these exist, was it
not
a simple ferrite rod with a detector (for low frequencies)?
Does anyone here use these?
Good diagrams?
I should google anyways....

Anyways I made some other changes too, I am now running the set from a
12 Ah
12V gel battery,
It is charged continously with an AC/DC adapter, no large power supplies
needed.
and I can use things when electricity fails, say in case of flooding.

_________________________________________
Usenet Zone Free Binaries Usenet Server
More than 140,000 groups
Unlimited download
http://www.usenetzone.com to open account
all the work to set up a station and no lightning protection scheme?
there are many ways to protect the equipment including gas discharge
kit. any surge protection on the ac input?


Nothing that would be worth buying to protect a CB rig will stop a direct
strike. A direct strike will vaporize a gas discharge kit on its way to
your radio. But then if you want to spend a few thousand dollars you can
get direct-strike protection.

Kevin, WB5RUE




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"Kevin Muenzler, WB5RUE" wrote in message
...

"jim" wrote in message
...
Jan Panteltje wrote:

I had the new GPA behind the house up last week....
To make sure I had the best SWR and best signal, I use thick coax, and
left out the coupling piece I had that I used to disconnect in case
lighting was expected.
The weather report was good, with a drop of rain, and the sky was
clear....
I went to sleep.
At 3.25 last night I woke up because of an incredible flash and BANG.
Thought "have to buy new gear now, pity..." hehe).
LOL
But nothing was smoking, counted seconds between flashes (more now),
it was overhead alright.
But my neighbor (50 meters away) has a higher mast.
Anyway, it started raining, usually there is enough conductive path
then
for it not no strike, I went outside in pyamas, waited for a flash,
(clouds take time to charge up again) and cut the coax, folded it back,
so there was some meters separation.
Went to bed again, noticed I was wet...
Just now I put some connecters and a coupling piece, so that is fixed.
So, anyways the sky is clear and the sun shines, and the SWR is
slightly
better now...
But now I am thinking 'lightning detector', I know these exist, was it
not
a simple ferrite rod with a detector (for low frequencies)?
Does anyone here use these?
Good diagrams?
I should google anyways....

Anyways I made some other changes too, I am now running the set from a
12 Ah
12V gel battery,
It is charged continously with an AC/DC adapter, no large power
supplies
needed.
and I can use things when electricity fails, say in case of flooding.

PolyPhasers do work They have done a good job of protecting all the
broadcast equipment I have installed over the years and they have protected
many ham and CB rigs also.

http://www.polyphaser.com/kommerce_p...px?class=M0044

Chad

On a sunny day (Wed, 28 Sep 2005 10:07:43 -0500) it happened "Chad Wahls"
wrote in :

yPhasers do work They have done a good job of protecting all the
broadcast equipment I have installed over the years and they have protected
many ham and CB rigs also.

http://www.polyphaser.com/kommerce_p...px?class=M0044

Chad
Hi Chad, thank you! lots of info on that site.
I just did read this:
http://www.polyphaser.com/ppc_TD1016.aspx
and it gives me some good ideas how to do things.

On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 10:07:43 -0500, "Chad Wahls"
wrote in :


"Kevin Muenzler, WB5RUE" wrote in message
...

"jim" wrote in message
...
Jan Panteltje wrote:

I had the new GPA behind the house up last week....
To make sure I had the best SWR and best signal, I use thick coax, and
left out the coupling piece I had that I used to disconnect in case
lighting was expected.
The weather report was good, with a drop of rain, and the sky was
clear....
I went to sleep.
At 3.25 last night I woke up because of an incredible flash and BANG.
Thought "have to buy new gear now, pity..." hehe).
LOL
But nothing was smoking, counted seconds between flashes (more now),
it was overhead alright.
But my neighbor (50 meters away) has a higher mast.
Anyway, it started raining, usually there is enough conductive path
then
for it not no strike, I went outside in pyamas, waited for a flash,
(clouds take time to charge up again) and cut the coax, folded it back,
so there was some meters separation.
Went to bed again, noticed I was wet...
Just now I put some connecters and a coupling piece, so that is fixed.
So, anyways the sky is clear and the sun shines, and the SWR is
slightly
better now...
But now I am thinking 'lightning detector', I know these exist, was it
not
a simple ferrite rod with a detector (for low frequencies)?
Does anyone here use these?
Good diagrams?
I should google anyways....

Anyways I made some other changes too, I am now running the set from a
12 Ah
12V gel battery,
It is charged continously with an AC/DC adapter, no large power
supplies
needed.
and I can use things when electricity fails, say in case of flooding.

PolyPhasers do work They have done a good job of protecting all the
broadcast equipment I have installed over the years and they have protected
many ham and CB rigs also.

http://www.polyphaser.com/kommerce_p...px?class=M0044

Chad


They work ok to protect against static buildup and nearby strikes, but
they can't be trusted to isolate your system from a direct hit. I have
a couple of these units in my 'blooper box' (failed parts bin). One is
blown in half and the other is melted.

Unless you have a grounded broadcast tower with a large radial field,
the only reliable protection against a direct strike is to disconnect.







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From: (Chad*Wahls)
**PolyPhasers do work


Maybe they do,,,against surges and buildups and the like. I found
nothing claiming they protect against a direct strike of lightning..

They have done a good job of protecting all

the broadcast equipment I have installed over

the years


Yea, protected from surges, buildups, etc. These products can work great
for "nearby" zaps etc., but not a direct strike.

and they have protected many ham and CB

rigs also.


Not from a direct strike they didn't. Protection that is supposed to
shunt sometimes fail because of the reaction time. Other times the
entire unit fries. I have yet to see a single product on the market that
claims their product will offer total protection against a direct strike
of lightning. Companies will make claims like their product is the best,
or the latest technology or the most affordable ot offers the most
protection, but none offer complete.


http://www.polyphaser.com/kommerce_produc

tdata.aspx?class=M0044

Chad

Play it safe. Disconnect during the storm. It's the best advice for the
average hammie/cb'er.

Frank Gilliland wrote:
I have
a couple of these units in my 'blooper box' (failed parts bin). One is
blown in half and the other is melted.

Hi Frank.

Begs the question what the hell are you saving that toasted plastic for,
you pack-rat?

(I AmnotGeorgeBush) wrote:
Play it safe. Disconnect during the storm. It's the best advice for the
average hammie/cb'er.

Too much dust on the Jim Beam bottle to change now!