[time-nuts] GPS antenna selection — lightning

[Chris Albertson]

You guys, well some of you are mixing to things

1) the building code requirement to ground an antenna is for the protection
of the building.  The building code don't care if you electronics is fried
or not.   The wire and ground rod keep the antenna mast at earth potential.


2) Those surge protectors and grounding your electronics to a common point
an al other advice then grounding the most to a rod by the nearest route
down the side of the house.  These are different things

So, outdoor antenna are different from indoor antenna in that if you indoor
antenna is struck the house is already pretty much toasted.   You still
might want a surge protector to protect the receiver.

The question is if you need to buy a $40 surge protector for your $8
Motorola Encore receiver?  But no question if you need a group wire in the
mast, even for that $8 gps receiver because that wire protects the house

Part of the equation is where you live.  In many years of living in Redondo
Beach, CA I never hear of anyone or anything being =damaged by lightening.
We don't even get lighting here but twice a year if that.   On the other
hand I had god protection on my sailboat as that 60 for aluminum mast might
be the highest thing around on the ocean for miles.  That mast has a very
solid connection straight to saltwater.  You have to evaluate the risk and
consequence.  You get different answer in Orlando Florida then I get here.