Please describe the lightning protection for your amateur radio station and specifically whether you use "lightning arrestors" (with or without the belief they will arrest the lightning). (lemmy.radio)

submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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If you have a good resource to share beyond Grounding and Bonding for the Radio Amateur by N0AX, please do!

I want to mount a simple 6m aluminum dipole from my roof chimney.

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[-] [email protected] 13 points 1 week ago

Be aware that the laws and requirements for grounding (and associated lighting protection) vary across the globe and within a country, to the point where something required in one location is illegal in another.

I've been attempting to quantify this in a podcast episode for years, but it's currently beyond my resources to adequately document, let alone explain succinctly.

In my opinion your best bet is a locally licensed electrician or better yet, one who is also an amateur.

Fair warning, this rabbit hole goes deep .. very deep!

[-] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

Fair warning, this rabbit hole goes deep … very deep!

I haven't met a shallow ham hole yet!

laws and requirements for grounding (and associated lighting protection) vary across the globe and within a country

Yes, was curious to get an international picture of practices here...

your best bet is a locally licensed electrician or better yet, one who is also an amateur.

Fair enough, you've inspired me to at least ask my club if we have an amateur radio electrician in the area. I do have a pretty simple station, however, so I had planned to do this myself. [edit: grammar fix]

[-] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I think we need to clarify you want a locally -licensed PROFESSIONAL electrician who's also a RADIO amateur. Even if it's just for advice.

[-] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago

Right, just a typo.

[-] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago

Indeed.

I concede that my wording could be open to interpretation.

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

It's likely not difficult to actually do, just determining what's required and permitted.

Your club is a good starting point.

[-] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago

In my opinion your best bet is a locally licensed electrician or better yet, one who is also an amateur.

Wait, is he supposed to hire a pro or not? You can't have it both ways!

😜

[-] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago

Yes

[-] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

Yes. Subscribed. I want to hear more. I work in transit signaling. Lightning and transit voltage protection. So many variables with traction power but also lightning. Sounds interesting.

[-] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago

I use Diamond SP1000 inline lightning protector

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago

Why do you need DC to pass through the protector? This is one of the things I don't understand!

[-] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago

DC pass through is only needed if you're powering something over the coax like a pre amp or a remote coax switch.

this post was submitted on 16 Jul 2025

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