Lightning Rod

[Acadia]

gooday all,

I am toying with the idea of mounting a cell phone antenna at the top of my mast to give me greater range for internet aboard. So there will be the 18'' antenna at the top with a signal booster (Wilsons I think is the brand) in line to my phone. They claim 50NM range but I’ll believe it when I see it, at least it will be better than nothing.

So here is my question. I think I remember reading in Calder's book that the highest point on the mast should be a lightning rod sort of speak. Well the highest point on my boat right now is the vhf antenna an it will be the cell antenna when I get around to installing it. I've been walking around marinas and it seems like most peoples highest point is an antenna of some sort.

What do you have at the top of your mast and why?

Should I be bolting one of those ''lightning rods'' while I'm up there?

Any other light on this topic fire away.

[Alan Wheeler]

Fitting a lightning rod will do nothing in protection of the antenna. Plus,
The highest point is not always the place that gets hit. But it doesn't mean that is where I'd stand. Certainly it has been seen that any antenna that is actually "live" seems to be very prone to being hit. So don't go transmitting or talking on your cell ph in a lightning storm.