[n8wrl]

As a ham I've spent quite a bit of time researching lightning protection for my two 72' towers. There is no such thing as preventing a strike - spikes and other widgets to 'dissipate static in the air before a strike can happen' are useless. As others have said it's all about routing the _bulk_ of the lightning where you want it to go.

I say 'bulk' because lightning is electricity and if multiple paths to ground are available it will take ALL of them - just in varying degrees of current depending on how good of a conductor it is. It sees the path to ground as a bunch of parallel paths - it takes them all! Even if you have the fattest of cables to ground you will still get a tickle on smaller cables (satellite feeds, outside antennas, etc.) because they present yet another path to ground - thru your house and equipment.

Lightning is also an AC waveform which means it is very much like radio. And it prefers to travel on the 'skin' of a conductor - believe it or not a wide strap is better than a big fat cable - more surface area. Also, the route to ground should not have sharp bends or curves. These present an 'impedence bump' to lightning and not as much of the energy will take that path - MORE will appear on other paths. And this all if you get a direct hit. God help you.

Just as big a concern is induced voltage from nearby strikes. Anything metallic gets energized and conducts to ... whatever it's attached to.

For the most part, surge-suppressor outlet strips don't do much because they can't react fast enough and they rely on the ground in your house - a small, thin wire with lots of curves and bends. You typically don't see a whole lot of damage to phones simply because the telco wires are so small. Electrical appliances can get more of an induced jolt because the wires are thicker. This is why you really should unplug sensitive electronics when a storm approaches. If you hear thunder now, don't touch anything!

Already wrote too much. Be careful!

-Brian