S9v Ham Radio Antenna VS. Lightning Strike

The aftermath of a direct lighting strike on S9v ham radio antenna.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

/25 Comments/by
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25 replies
  1. takforalt
    takforalt says:

    My goodness John you and yours are probably still shaken up. Thank you so much for doing this video when for sure you have much on your mind right now. I also live in lightning prone area and will not take lightly the dangers involved with antennas, cables and the like. I once got hit when I tried to disconnect the cable to my TV. I jumped back and almost did a backflip over the banister! But I was fine. I am glad you are OK as well, but sorry for all the losses that you incurred. 73.

    Reply
  2. johnrob281
    johnrob281 says:

    @takforalt

    Ken,

    Thanks for your comments. It was an “eye-opener” for us. From now on, it’s antenna down when storm approaches.

    John

    Reply
  3. johnrob281
    johnrob281 says:

    @dighsx

    “…get your neighbor into ham radio and have them put an antenna that’s taller than yours” Now that’s a good idea 🙂

    73
    Johh/W5CYF

    Reply
  4. johnrob281
    johnrob281 says:

    @Tacticalgearhead

    Thanks for the comments. It was an eye opener. From now on I’ll be taking the antennas down and unpluging the radios from the main!

    73
    John/W5CYF

    Reply
  5. wx5nco
    wx5nco says:

    WOW! I’m glad you and the wife are OK. I noticed you list of equipment that is gone, did it get any of your shop equipment? I now have a new procedure in place. I now unplug all radio’s after each use (not that I get to use them much)
    Jon
    WX5NCO

    Reply
  6. johnrob281
    johnrob281 says:

    @wx5nco

    Jon,

    Tnx for your comment and for following along.

    While it did take out some radios and other electronic equipment, the shop tools were not affected.

    I’ve also started to unplug everything in my ham shack even is a ‘bad cloud’ goes over!

    John

    Reply
  7. radiomanCQ
    radiomanCQ says:

    John glad everything is ok with you and your family.
    I had a bad experience today. I live outside (about 34 miles) from the earthquake area that hit VA today. Sounded like and felt like a train in my house . At first I had no idea what was taken place then I realized it was a 5.8 earthquake. Again l enjoy your ham videos trying to get on HF again myself, WA4WPG. Take Care John.

    Reply
  9. wx9dx
    wx9dx says:

    John, I am so sorry to hear of this. I have had many hits over the years, if there is a direct lightning hit things blow apart. I now go by the Poly Phaser Guidelines on lightning protection. That has kept the hits at bay, using single point grounding etc. I also shunt feed my verticals so that they are at ground potential. This means a 1 Meg resistor in parallel with an air wound choke to ground from the antenna. Glad everyone is ok!

    Reply
  11. johnrob281
    johnrob281 says:

    @wx9dx

    Jimmy,

    Good to hear from you and for your comments. I definately need some type of lightning protection. One thing I not sure of is exactly how to ground the fiberglass pole, I guess I could put the Poly Phaser directly in the antenna line itself. The actual antenna is just a 14 ga. stranded wire inside the pole. I’ll have to think about that soon. Right now I just take the antenna down if I’m not using it. ( I’m a guick learner and don’t want another lightning hit)

    73
    John

    Reply
  12. mamatalu
    mamatalu says:

    John,
    I have an TH-F6A HT in the car connected with mag mount MR-77. I always wonder what I should take care with regard to lightning strike, when the weather is stormy, and its raining. Could you comment on that? In fact, I was searching for that, which is how I came across your video, which is a great one!

    Reply
  13. johnrob281
    johnrob281 says:

    @mamatalu
    Thanks for following along with my videos.

    Although rare, it is possible for lightning to strike a mobile antenna. From what happened last time, I now take the S9 down unless it the weather is clear AND I’m using the rig. Otherwise, I have it on the ground.

    On the other hand, my mobile antenna I still leave it up and attached.

    73
    John/W5CYF

    Reply
  15. MrSuperheterodyne
    MrSuperheterodyne says:

    Sorry to hear of your loss of equipment. Hopefully through making this video you will educate hundreds about the destructive power of lightning strikes. You CERTAINLY educated me concerning this, as I have been taking a lax attitude towards lightning. I will take precautions from now on. Thanks for this good video, and I hope you get your belongings replaced soon, Glad no one got injured!

    Reply
  16. johnrob281
    johnrob281 says:

    @MrSuperheterodyne

    Thanks for your comments and for following my videos. I really gained a new respect for lightning and now take the antenna down when I’m not using it.

    73
    John/W5CYF

    Reply
  17. slshock
    slshock says:

    When it comes to lightening nothing is 100% protected. According to the NFPA, during an electrical storm, you should unplug all equipment from ac recepts and ground all antenna coaxes to an earth ground. This will help to reduce if not eliminate the difference in potential and lightening strokes. In my opinion, not grounding the antenna caused the strike. Leave the coax connected to your antenna/s and ground the radio end to a ground rod. I use a grounding junction block in my shack. 73’s

    Reply
  18. johnrob281
    johnrob281 says:

    @slshock

    Tnx for your comments and for following along with my videos. You are correct and all those ideas are excellent. I wish I had followed them. From now on, I take the antenna down when not in use and disconnect the radios,etc from the mains.

    73
    John/W5CYF

    Reply
  19. slshock
    slshock says:

    @johnrob281
    I’ve been very lucky through the years not to have had any radio/antenna damage from lightening. I’ve had several hits on my property with the latest one being two years ago which hit a tree just 25 feet from my ham shack. It blew a 6 inch wide strip of bark off the tree from top to bottom. My QTH is the highest point in the county. I’ve seen lightening skin a coax like a snake skin and jump 3 feet off a 90 degree coax bend and go straight through a wall and kill radios. 73’s

    Reply
  20. slshock
    slshock says:

    @johnrob281
    I’ve been very lucky through the years not to have had any radio/antenna damage from lightening. I’ve had several hits on my property with the latest one being two years ago which hit a tree just 25 feet from my ham shack. It blew a 6 inch wide strip of bark off the tree from top to bottom. My QTH is the highest point in the county. I’ve seen lightening skin a coax like a snake skin and jump 3 feet off a 90 degree coax bend and go straight through a wall and kill radios. 73’s

    Reply
  21. NoWattz
    NoWattz says:

    @mamatalu , if your curious about mobile lightning strikes, check out the “jperson2007” here on youtube. He actually had the camera rolling when his mobile radio was struck by lightning. He also has a video documenting the resulting aftermath. As you might imagine, it isn’t pretty. Check it out! 🙂

    Reply
  22. wx9dx
    wx9dx says:

    I bought a used S(v 31′ antenna just to do some testing on it. I have found that by running a RF coil from the antenna wire to ground, then tapping the coil for best SWR works best with this antenna ” as per static discharge and use”. I also ran a 1 meg ohm resistor from the hot lead of the coaqx to ground across the coil to help discharge the antenna. At swome frequency the coil will look like an insulator ” like a Coil and cap across each other, like a trap does”. So use a resistor also.:)

    Reply
  23. wx9dx
    wx9dx says:

    This 31′ antenna caqn be used just like your Hygain multiband antenna if you wire in a coil at it’s base in the same fassion as the Hygain. I tried this and also used this on 20 meters with X=0 and a 1.2:1 SWR… First contact was Serbia… But still love my phased 40 meter vertical best:) 73 Jimmy, WX9DX

    Reply
  24. johnrob281
    johnrob281 says:

    @wx9dx

    Jimmy,

    Tnx for the follow up.  I can’t picture exactly what you are describing, but it sure sounds like something I want to learn more about.

    How about posting a video???

    73
    John/W5CYF

    Reply
  25. leakyspacesuit
    leakyspacesuit says:

    Lightning rods are common sights on many houses in Europe and Asia. I have seen them in my travels. Why nobody puts lightning rods on their houses here in the USA, I have no idea. That simple device would totally prevent damage like this. At least nobody was killed.

    Reply

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