On Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:08:15 GMT, "JB" wrote:

The man is putting a dipole in the attic, so this talk about ground is a
moot point.

The "balanced" antenna is connected to an "unbalanced" system if the
rig has AC power through any device or has a powered mike connection,
or has a computer control line, or has a powered speaker, or has a ...
and so on. It takes supreme effort to maintain "balance" but most
are happy to ignore analysis and put a rubber stamp to it.

That an antenna is in a attic space is, no doubt, a cry that it is
insulated from the sky. If that were all that was needed, every
plastic covered wire in the air would be lightning proof. That is a
superstition. If it were as effective as supposed, no one could use
the antenna for its purpose.

The only bright point of there being so few reports of lightning
strikes to attic antennas is that they present so little individual
risk that low within a neighborhood of equally available targets - you
could as easily use a closeline. Every home in a community over 30
years old has a vertical radiator penetrating the roof line, the
plumbing system vent that dives solidly straight into ground. How
often is a house struck there?

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC