[Kenwood] Lightning protection wire antennas WA8OPR

Wed May 14 11:53:31 EDT 2014

If a lightning bolt can travel thousands of feet down to ground thru open 
air, do you think 2.5 inches will slow it down?
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Terry Clinard" <tclinard at hotmail.com>
To: <kenwood at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2014 11:25 AM
Subject: [Kenwood] Lightning protection wire antennas WA8OPR
> Can someone answer this question:
>>>> I have two 170 foot end feed wires in service for the bands. Both are up 
> at the top of tree line about 55 foot up.
>>>> Decided to purchase two old style heavy duty knife switches with porcelain 
> bases. The gap between the heavy duty copper contacts is a bout 2.5 
> inches.
>>>> The live end of the antenna wire is attached to the center knife rocker 
> and one of the side psots is connected to the transceiver. Obviously when 
> the knife switch is opened it disconnects the antenna. My question is 
> should the opposite knife post be attached to an earth ground? This then 
> puts the wire in the air directly to ground. Now with the antenna going 
> to true ground raises the negative potential of the wire in the air. I am 
> thinking that one does not want to do this, because now you have created a 
> high (55 foot) negative conductive path for lightning to target. Should 
> the antenna be grounded or simply turned off with the 2.5" knife switch 
> air gap?
>>>> Thanks Terry WA8OPR
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