View Single Post
  #2   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
terry terry is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,447
Default ? on grounding TV antenna

On Oct 15, 11:45*am, "Dave" wrote:
Was talking with someone the other day and mentioned that I had just
grounded the TV antenna (the mast, actually) to protect against lightning
strikes, and they said that was not such a good idea because lightning is
more likely to strike a path that goes straight to ground. *Now I am not
sure what to do. *Anyone have any input on this topic? *Ideas are gratefully
received...

Thanks,

Dave


Nah. Don't bother the lightning; if it strikes the antenna will go to
ground through the TV set etc. (probably blowing the sh*t out of
it!). And then find a way to the home's water supply pipe through
Grandma's vintage silverware.

More seriously: Some may remember church towers that had heavy copper
strips from ground to a spike on top of the steeple etc.
The idea being to try and discharge the high voltage of an incipient
lightning strike before an arc occurred.
Metal boat masts should be 'grounded' to the water for similar reason.