![\"20160918_224029\"](\"http:\/\/www.n5hrk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/20160918_224029.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nYesterday, I finally had both time and the materials to repair the damage, protect if from future damage and to add lightning protection\u00a0along the way.<\/p>\n First, I put a new connector on the coax where it comes out of the dirt and moved my ground rod to the same area. I also added 90 degree elbow of 1-1\/2″ PVC conduit to protect the coax at the new spot where it comes out of the ground.<\/p>\n I hit something immovable with about 2 feet of ground rod still sticking out, so I cut it to length.<\/p>\n The ground rod was closer to the radio before, so I had to replace the 10ga solid copper to the inside grounding block. I put a new connector on the coax from the other side of the damage and fed them both through the conduit.<\/p>\n I put an\u00a0Alpha Delta<\/a> stud mount surge protector on the ground rod, using the provided stud to clamp the station ground wire. I sealed the connectors with Temflex<\/a> tape.<\/p>\n I dug out enough around the splice enough to put an irrigation valve box around it for maximum protection.<\/p>\n Finally, I filled and packed the void with soil.<\/p>\n Although I had a false start assuming the old intermittent transmit problem had returned, the antenna tuned up perfectly on 20m.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Well, strictly speaking, I was not really off the air because I was receiving JT65 before I discovered the damage. We have a friend who visits once a year or sometimes every other year, and while he’s here, it does projects and other work around the house. This time, however, I had inadvertently set a … Continue reading On The Air Again<\/span> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n