QST magazine printed a comprehensive three part article in 2002 addressing lighting. Lightning Protection for the Amateur Radio Station: - QST June 2002, pp. 56-59 - QST July 2002, pp. 48-52 - QST August 2002, pp. 53-55 The *surest* way to protect your radio gear is to disconnect it from power, from the antenna, from your computer and even from ground. And even that is no guarantee -- a while back I had an **enormous** charge of lightening struck my backyard. I had three transceivers; one rig was still connected to my computer and both the computer and rig were smoldering. The other two rigs were also fried despite being disconnected from power and antenna. My presumption is that the magnetic and electrical charges from the lightening were powerful enough to resonate and over load components in the rigs. It's a hassle, but disconnect your rigs from power, antenna and computer.