It’s the nature of the beast when expensive electronics clash with hostile weather—equipment can get zapped, antennas can topple, and hams can throw up their arms wishing they had invested in that device that didn’t seem so critical when the skies were clear and blue. It’s why a quick glance through the new 2022 DX Engineering amateur radio catalog will reveal that quite a few pages are devoted to gear that’s designed to protect your stations from damage and the resulting hit on your ham budget.
Flip to the catalog’s Grounding & Lightning Protection section and you’ll find the updated and essential ARRL Grounding and Bonding for the Radio Amateur, 2nd Edition by OnAllBands blogger Ward Silver, N0AX; DX Engineering’s Ladder Line Surge Protector, Rotator Control Line Protector, Utility Enclosure Kit, and Coaxial Cable Grounding Brackets; Polyphaser Broadband Coaxial Lightning Protectors; ERICO Copper Ground Bars; Georgia Copper Flexible Ground Strap Jumpers; and other devices and parts designed and manufactured to spare you grief and save you money.
Added Insurance
Just as you watch the skies for trouble, DX Engineering is constantly on the lookout for new products that can protect your investment—and in this case—your family as well. The Tornado Alert device has become increasingly popular among members of the amateur radio EMCOMM community who want to leave no stone unturned when it comes to staying abreast of weather threats in their area—day or night. Because of this growing interest, you’ll find Tornado Alert, billed as the “world’s first personal tornado detector,” on page 4 of the upcoming DX Engineering catalog. It’s also available right now for immediate order at DXEngineering.com.
Tornado Alert constantly monitors the skies in real-time for electrical activity, the scientifically proven cause of tornado formation. The device will tell you when a tornado, lightning, or severe weather is detected within a 30-mile radius of your location, providing up to 30 minutes warning to get to safety. It includes a powerful built-in antenna, 90 dB siren, live proximity readings that let you know how close the threat is to your location, strobe light, and simple two-button setup.
Watch DX Engineering CEO Tim Duffy, K3LR, interview Tornado Alert designer Richard Carlisle about the device.
Also visit DXEngineering.com to check out new Davis Instruments Weather Stations; the Sangean CL-100 Weather Alert Radio, which receives all seven VHF NOAA weather channels; the Sangean AM-FM-NOAA Weather Alert Pocket Radios; Sangean Mobile FM/Weather-Band Antenna; and Sangean MMR-88 Emergency Radio, with hand-crank power and solar panel.
Want to stay better prepared and get involved in serving your community and nation through ham radio? Check out these EMCOMM-focused articles at OnAllBands:
What is MARS and How Can You Get Involved?
ARES and RACES: What’s the Difference?
