Quote:
Originally Posted by bob47
I'm curious, what do you do about lightning protection with an outdoor antenna? Is it a bigger concern above gutter level?
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It should make very little difference.
Antennas and lightning rods do not draw lightning from more than a few feet away. If lightning is about to strike your neighbor's house then neither your antenna nor your lightning rod will do anything at all.
On the other hand, if lightning is about to strike your house then both could have an impact. Properly spaced lightning rods will protect your house by being the first things the lightning strikes. Similarly, if the lightning is about to strike close to the antenna then it might be directed to the antenna rather than the roof. In that case, if the antenna is sufficiently grounded it will act as a lightning rod and protect the house. However, if the lightning was close to the other end of the house then it would be too far away and the antenna would again have no effect.
The antenna cannot hurt but might help a little.
Disclaimer: Not an expert on lightning, just spent a little time trying to understand lightning protection systems.