This will allow any static to bleed off, which will help prevent a strike in the 1st place.
2. Put at loop in the feed line coax that is at least 1 90 a degree turn
I have a extra large drip loop where the coax turns from the tower to the house. Lightning does not like to turn corners, and a direct strike will most likely blow out the side of the coax at the turn.
If using a beam antenna, use a ground wire with a slight loop, from the mast above the tower, connected to a tower leg. This will give a direct path to ground, without forcing it through a thrust bearing, and rotor.
3. Ground tower or mast.
I have a ground rod on each leg of the tower, and run the drain line from my AC evaporator to the tower area to keep the ground moist during the hot Summers. Give any static or strikes a way to get off the antennas and tower, rather than following the coax into the shake
4. Put a static/lightning discharge device in feed line to help bleed off any static buildup.
5. Use a Coax Switch, that grounds unused positions.
6. Run a ground wire from the coax switch to shack ground strip.
7. Put a shorted PL259 in a non used port, and select this position when not in use.
8. Remove coax at the switch that goes to the radio gear. I put a cup hook well above the switch to hang the coax on after removing it from the switch. I wrapped a couple strips of white tape on it, so it is very easy to see. "IMPORTANT" This will keep all the radio equipment completely out of the path, and provide a path to ground for any Static or Lightning
9. Make sure all radio gear grounds are connected to shack ground strip.
To verify if your coax switch is DC to Ground, use a multi-meter, in the ohms position to check continuity. Put one of the probs into a non- selected antenna SO239, and the other prob to one of the mounting points. It should show continuity. Now select this this antenna port, and there should be no continuity. If if checks Ok, connect a ground wire to the mounting point, and run the wire to the Grounding strip.
Your coax switch should have a extra port to put a shorted PL259 in,
and select this when not in use. This way, when you remove the coax
from the radios, and select this port, the radios of protected, and
everything is routed to ground, and no open position for any thing
to jump from.
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