Long wire antennas typically consist of a 100-foot length of copper wire connected between a tree and a shortwave radio. The risk of a long wire antenna is a nearby lightning strike will create a power surge sending a damaging amount of electrical current through the antenna to the radio. One way to protect a radio is to insert a lightning arrester between the antenna and the radio. A lightning arrester reroutes the surge and dissipates the electricity to a metal rod buried in the ground.

Things You'll Need
Nonresister type automotive spark plug
Aluminum bar 1/4 inch by 1 inch by 6 inches
Assortment of metal drill bits
Assortment of metal taps to create threaded holes
Electric drill
Two 6-32 size set screws

Instructions
1.Drill a hole slightly smaller than the threaded section of a spark plug at one end of an aluminum bar.

2.Tap a thread through the hole in the aluminum bar that matches the threads of the spark plug.

3.Drill and tap a 6-32 size hole into the side of the aluminum bar perpendicular to and centered with the spark plug hole.

4.Drill a hole at the other end of the aluminum bar the same size as the copper ground rod used to ground the antenna/radio system. Drill and tap a 6-32 size hole into the side of the aluminum bar perpendicular to and centered with the ground rod hole.

5.Screw the spark plug into its hole in the aluminum bar and secure with a set screw. Insert the aluminum bar over the copper ground rod and secure the bar with a set screw. Connect a short lead wire from the antenna to the hot terminal end of the spark plug. Adjust the spark gap to a clearance of 0.015 to 0.020 inches. The lightning arrester is now ready to use.

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How to Make a Lightning Arrester for a Long Wire Antenna

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