Topband: DX Engineering ARAV-1P Failures

[steve.root at culligan4water.com]

Howdy,
After lurking around for the last few years I had to Officially join this 
Reflector, if for no other reason than to thank all of you for the wealth
of useful information I've read here. I start every day wioth a cup of coffee
and a look at the Top Band Reflector. 
I do have a question for the group. At W0ZT's contest station he has a 
DX Engineering Receive 4-Square array for 80 and 160. Last year we lost one 
of the active antenna boxes (ARAV-1P). I assumed the failure was due to lightning.
This spring I took the whole system apart and stored it all inside the building.
Last week we were very disapointed to find that TWO of the active antenna boxes 
had failed somehow. Operating the CQWW without a receiving antenna was challenging 
to say the least. Some of the Europeans, EI2CN and OX5AA in particular, had to have
tremendous signals to exceed my noise floor.
I'd sure like to avoid continued failures with this system. Assuming the problem 
is static discharge killing a high impedance input, how about adding an RF choke 
between the antenna and ground, say 2.5 mh? I know that would drain any static 
charges off but would it otherwise affect the performanc of this 4-square?
Thanks in advance.
73 Steve K0SR