Martin McCormick wrote:

>         I once had a wire amateur radio antenna about 20 feet above ground
> and forgot to connect it to Earth when a thunder head began to rumble in the
> distance.  The lightning was many miles away, but the static gradient was

Been there, done that too.  Twas a 2m beam antenna (4 el - pretty small), up 20
 feet
also.
(In Colorado, Lafayette to be exact).  I shorted the coax and threw it out the
window. (After
the sparks - including one or two pretty nasty shocks...)  Storm had enough
 close
hits to blow out my modem!  (Of course, I foolishly tried to USE the stupid
 thing
during the storm - yikes)

rusty