[TowerTalk] Static discharge Cushcraft XM240 during storms

[W0MU-Mike Fatchett]

Last night we had some thunderstorm activity that was 5 or more miles away
at least.  I could visibly and hear static discharging off the reflector to
the boom.  The XM240's elements are insulated from ground.  I have noticed
this before when the storms are quite distant.  

All of the coax and control cables are disconnected and laying on the
ground.  I just ran the cables through a buried conduit and have not had a
chance to route the cables back into the shack.  Normally the antennas would
be all grounded.  Below the 40 is a 4 ele SteppIR with the elements
retracted.

Anyone else noticed this with this antenna?  Is this necessarily a bad
thing?  I have not had the radio on 40m while this has been happening I
wonder if these discharges are noticeable in the receiver.  The tower is
grounded at each leg with a very minimal radial system attached to the
ground rods.

We have our share of spiders and the birds love the antenna so it could be
possible the arcing is from unknown debris.

Mike W0MU