[BVARC] roof antenna lightning strikes

[Westley Clavey]

Back in the radio dark ages of the late 1960s, I had a tri-band beam 
about 12' up from the peak of my roof.  When not in use, I would 
disconnect it and put a small SO239 coax pigtail with a neon bulb 
soldered across it.  You could see the effects of lightning all across 
the Chesapeake Bay by watching the neon bulb flash.

Wes, W5WMC

On 5/26/21 7:58 AM, John D'Agostino via BVARC wrote:
> Just as an fyi. Even if a storm is not nearby I have noticed on HF 
> brief power surges on my display screen  that shoots across the band 
> meter making a crackling noise which I have been told is lightning….
>
> John D
> W5RDY
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On May 26, 2021, at 7:39 AM, Jeffrey Carson via BVARC 
>> <bvarc at bvarc.org> wrote:
>>
>> 
>> This tends to get controversial, but I disconnect my antenna as well 
>> when not in use and definitely If i know lightning is in the area.
>>
>> KF5ONT
>>
>> On Wednesday, May 26, 2021, 07:23:43 AM CDT, John Mechura via BVARC 
>> <bvarc at bvarc.org> wrote:
>>
>>
>> You don't have to receive a direct hit to have issues.
>>
>> Last year, I had an Armstrong Dipole made of two 80 meter hamsticks 
>> 20 feet up on 4 inch PVC drain pipe right next to the house.  My ham 
>> equipment was turned off and I was using the computer instead, 
>> sitting at the same position. There was a lightning strike close by 
>> but not directly.  Just as I saw the flash outside I heard a 
>> loud snap in my station monitor.  After the storm I tested my 
>> equipment and it was working well.  A few days later my transmit / 
>> receive relay became intermittant in the receive position, which 
>> required cleaning of the relay contacts.
>>
>> I believe that what I experienced was an "induced" Voltage and not 
>> any kind of direct hit.  I now disconnect the antenna cable if not in 
>> use.
>>
>> John, KI5HOC
>>
>> On Tue, May 25, 2021 at 11:29 PM gmuller12103 via BVARC 
>> <bvarc at bvarc.org <mailto:bvarc at bvarc.org>> wrote:
>>
>>     Lived in Houston for 27 yrs and have a 2 mtr on the roof and beam
>>     up 45 to 50 ft and never had a lightning 🌩 strike.
>>
>>
>>
>>     Sent via the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G, an AT&T 5G smartphone
>>
>>
>>     -------- Original message --------
>>     From: Mike Lambert via BVARC <bvarc at bvarc.org
>>     <mailto:bvarc at bvarc.org>>
>>     Date: 5/25/21 10:35 PM (GMT-06:00)
>>     To: BRAZOS VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB <bvarc at bvarc.org
>>     <mailto:bvarc at bvarc.org>>
>>     Cc: Mike Lambert <mikradhou at hotmail.com
>>     <mailto:mikradhou at hotmail.com>>
>>     Subject: [BVARC] roof antenna lightning strikes
>>
>>     How common are home roof antenna (12 foot or less) lightning
>>     strikes in
>>     Houston?
>>
>>     How many BVARC folks have had a lightning strike on their radio
>>     (or TV)
>>     antenna (elevation 12 foot or less) on their roof?
>>
>>     Is this a Stir-Crazy Net subject?
>>
>>     Thanks,
>>
>>     Mike
>>     KI5MIK
>>
>>
>>
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-- 
Wes Clavey

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