Apologies if this is a stupid question.

I'm re-jigging the TV aerial which is in our loft. I put it up myself
some years ago.

At that time, I very neatly stripped away the outside braided copper
sleeving (at the aerial end), twisted it, and connected it to one of the
two terminals on the aerial; I connected the aerial cable itself to the
other terminal. The aerial has always worked fine.

Looking at this arrangement this weekend, I wondered why I'd done it: in
effect I am connecting the two together, since the two terminals are at
opposite ends of the same cross-piece on the aerial (i.e. the rear-most
cross-piece).

But any fule kno that you shouldn't allow the braid to come into contact
with the aerial co I don't see how it can work!

So what are you actually *supposed* to do with the earthing braid at
the aerial end of things? (My old Reader's Digest DIY book doesn't
mention the 'top' end of the aerial installation.)

Cheers
John