David Forsyth wrote:

Thanks for all who responded thus far (and sorry to be such a wellspring of
newbie questons).

Yes, I must confess that there is no lightning arrestor installed as of yet!
I was aware that one should install such a device at the time I put up the
antenna, but I didn't have one handy, nor did I feel the need to invest in
one. I was thinking that in the late fall/winter we really don't get any
lightning here (north-east PA) and therefore I wouldn't really need a
lightning arrestor until the Spring. I'm sure I'm probably wrong on this,
though, as it was mainly a product of my Scots heritage getting the best of
me.


Do yourself a favor: at the end of your antenna (inside
the house) install a neon bulb and a 100K resistor in
series, connected between the antenna and ground.
Then, on a windy day, go watch the bulb.

You can make your own static discharge unit:

-----------\ /--------------
Copper \ / Copper
Strip / \ Strip
-----+-----/ \-----+--------
| |
+---/\/\/\/-----+
100K

The points on the copper strips need to be sharp, not
blunt, at the gap.

Wire one strip to ground with #10 or larger copper wire,
and the other strip to the antenna. Set the gap between
the copper strips as narrow as you can. Solder a 100K
resistor across the copper strips.