Part 1 lightning protection can be a serious issue for amateurs. Ep1548874b1 lightning arrester for antenna arrangements. Moonraker products represent the pinnacle of antenna design. This is a statistical calculation but provides ample evidence of the need for effective lightning protection at these sites. Lightning protection explained using the rolling ball model. Direct grounding from the spg to the ground system.
Our products can protect structures such as antenna towers, windmills and wind farms, tanks, drill rigs, field camps, monitoring installations and many more. Design, erection maintenance of antenna structures. With antenna equipment leaning more toward sophisticated designs many with. Use current division to control the dissipation of lightning strike energy on an antenna tower grounding system through multiple paths. The lightning strike the transient discharge of electric current that occurs between a. Lightning and surge protection for cable networks and. Lightning protection systems lpu mf to hf lightning protection unit for marine and land based antenna systems the moonraker lpu is a horn gap overvoltage lightning protection system designed to be placed in mfhf open wire antenna feeders. A better lightning protection system may have prevented this. Macom harris site grounding and lightning protection guidelines. All parts of the outer antenna system shall be so designed that they will. Technical note gps lightning protection and antenna placement gps lightning protection and antenna placement the first consideration for gps antenna placement is a clear view of the sky, preferably 360 degrees.
Photo courtesy of east coast lightning equipment, inc. Lightning protection for broadcast facilities chapter 3. Our unique dc blocking technology employed in this design pro vides optimum isolation of the antenna port from the protected equipment port for maximum surge protection. Lightning protection is a safe investment for any station. Ul marking and application guides are updated as necessary due to new product development. Protection of the equipment found in a typical ham shack.
What is not discussed in these and other technical documents are installation procedures and examples. Manufacturers installation standard for lightning protection. Groundinglightning protection is a relatively complex subject. Without external protection, equipment housed in the building may provide the easiest path to earth for lightning currents via sideflashing where the lightning arcs. Vce 2pack coaxial surge lightning protector for cable tv and satellite inline 75 ohm 52500mhz. Lightning protection for antennas, towers, and structures. Its best if your antenna coax enters the house at a single point of. During testing of this antenna mast with an antrc8 radio terminal system at ft. A 20 length of coax is also used as a vertical radiating element in this design.
These hazards can be reduced by proper bonding, grounding and surge protection. The moonraker lpu is a horn gap overvoltage lightning protection system designed to be placed in mfhf open wire antenna feeders. Antennas and tvradio towers, like other communications structures, are prone to lightning strikes and power surges. Protect your facility from these natural hazards by implementing tower and antenna lightning protection systems onto your structures. Lightning protection taming thors thunderon a budget.
Lightning protection for the amateur radio station part 1. Lightning protection for the amateur station figure 1a typical convective thunderhead. Separate the antenna tower from the equipment building by a minimum of 30 feet. The purpose of this document is to detail the proper installation procedures for many of the items typically used for lightning protection in and around an amateur radio station. The goal of this course is to learn how to design lightning protection systems. Classification and testing of surge protective devices 16 3. A professional can also provide other services, such as lightning strike risk. Sma coaxial lightning protection surge protector sma male to female 50 ohm 03ghz coaxial lightning surge protector for signal booster gsm 3g 4g lte wireless lan wifi antenna 5. Certainly, the lightning phenomenon is a complex subject in its own right and one under continual scientific study. There is a significant level of missinformation andor multiplicity of opinion. Lightning protection for cellular tower mounted electronics. A lightning protection device with such a capshaped radome for an antenna device can also be used in connection with an aircraft, for example, if the leading nose of the aircraft is designed as a capshaped random below which the antenna device is provided.
Huachuca in the summer of 1982, a lightning strike severely damaged this configuration with the 100foot ab621. Lightning protection system is complete system of air terminalss, conductors, ground terminals, bonding. Lightning protection what to consider when installing. Electromagnetic pulse emp protection and resilience. A complete lightning protection system includes many components designed and installed to meet the standards of nfpa, ul, and lpi. Proper tv or radio tower grounding is the key to lightning protection and good reception.
Every year, lightning causes irreversible damage, injuring approx 1,000 people annually. The design of this site including photographs, text, graphic design and layout are the property of and ed by expert systems programs and consulting, inc. Antenna will be 25 off the ground at the feedpoint, higher on the long leg, and lower on the shorter leg. In 1991, lightning protection was again an issue of the system designed to replace the ab 577621 series of masts. Lightning protection in the technical information pages. No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means. All of the wires for the antenna including the antenna, mast, leadin, control, and rotator wires should be connected to a ground rod in the main ground via the shortest route possible. Block, cofounder of polyphaser corporation, and additional articles written by.
Block, cofounder of polyphaser corporation, and additional articles written by roger and myself over the last several years. Use uninterruptible power at least a lightning rated surge protection device spd on power cords, antenna lines, and data cables. The wireless antenna industry is particularly at risk with its multitude of towers. Pdf lightning protection design for radar antennae. Voltages and currents caused by lightning, power cross and electrostatic charge buildup on antenna systems can present a significant safety hazard in radio telescope installations, possibly leading to electrocution and fire. Design of a uwb biconical antenna with a lightning. The variation in magnitude and rise times follows the lognormal distribution typical of many natural phenomena. Lightning protection grounding solutions for communication. It gives an easy path to earth for high voltage static charges, such as those induced in the antenna system by lightning. It gives an easy path to earth for high voltage static charges, such as those induced in the antenna.
Chapter 2 lightning protection design, engineering, acquisition, installation, and. While the design of the mast incorporated a welldesigned lightning. The lightning protection device then runs along a leading section on the outer shell. Lighting surge protection modules design and installation. Lightning protection for tv antennas if you use an exterior mounted television or radio antenna you should take steps to protect your tv and home from being damaged by lightning. We offer lightning protection services and products for broadcasting, wireless communications, utilities, fuels, and military assets, to name a few. A description of lightning is presented to familiarize the reader with the phenomenon and define the problem of lightning protection grounding. Design, erection and maintenance of antenna structures chapter 2. In the first of this threepart series, the author leads us through the process of developing a protection plan. A lightning protection system using an early streamer emission air terminal s shall be designed with provisions for inspection and maintenance. Is a roof antenna a lightning hazard for your home. Selection and dimensioning of the surge protection devices spds. This illustration identifies the components and introduces the basic rules for an.
History of lightning protection system design in tactical systems i. This is part of a webinar that was presented by dr andre fourie on 27 feb 2018. Amateur radio station grounding and lightning protection. Led lighting surge protection modules design and installation guide.
Antenna system bonding and grounding requirements in the. In order to design and implement lightning protection and grounding. In the usual installation, the gps antenna is located low and close to the equipment building roof. Lightning protection system are method to divert the effects of lightning discharges away from the building, its occupants and sensitive equipment housed in. Lightning strikes are electrostatic discharges, which usually travel from cloud to cloud or cloud to the ground, with magnitudes of millions of volts figure 2.
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