Looking at some DB Products fiberglass radome antennas, they all have a metal protrusion on the top cap; it looks like bronze perhaps. I presume that it is some form of lightning mitigation device. Is this just a piece of metal in the cap, unattached to the internal antenna element?
I'm curious as I need to mount a Maxrad 900 MHz antenna on top of a long mast on the top of a tower. The tower takes a lightning hit about once a year. The Maxrad is in PVC tubing and it'd probably be simple to add a stainless bolt to the top of the antenna if it would do any good. The previous 3 antennas on top were Comet GP-15's. They have a thin metal cap on the top of the radome. The first one took a pretty significant hit, melting part of the cap and making a mess out of the antenna. The second one took a lesser hit, heating the element enough that it burned thru the radome. The third strike was even less, just discoloring the fiberglass on the top 8" of the radome. I know that I'd be better off with a DB Products antenna, but their weight likely well exceeds the mast capability for a top antenna (where it needs to be). Thoughts??? Thanks, DOUG K4AC
