i know most ppl will agree that grounding your devices are important. but i still don’t get what it means for outdoor devices 
, when it is grounded, shouldn’t it is more likely to be struck by lightning? beside i have a lightning rod installed on top of the tower, which is grounded, so when in lightning storm, the one is going to be struck is the rod. so theoretically, if i ground the outdoor device such as Sxt, isn’t it becoming what the lightning rod does “get struck by lightning” ?
The primary goal of the grounding system throughout any facility is SAFETY. Secondary are effective lightning protection, diminishing electromagnetic coupling (EMC), and the protection against electromagnetic pulses (EMP). Grounding is implemented to ensure rapid clearing of faults and to prevent hazardous voltage, which in turn reduce the risks of fires and personnel injuries. Grounding serves the primary functions of referencing the AC systems and providing a means to ensure fault clearing.
There are basically six grounding systems in use. The six systems are the equipment grounds, static grounds, systems grounds, maintenance grounds, electronic grounds and lightning grounds.
Equipment grounds: An equipment ground is the physical connection to earth of non-current carrying metal parts. This type grounding is done so that all metal part of equipment that personnel can come into contact with are always at or near zero (0) volts with respect to ground. All metal parts must be interconnected and grounded by a conductor in such away as to ensure a path of lowest impedance for flow of ground fault current. Typical items (equipment) to be grounded are; electrical motor frames, outlet boxes, breaker panels, metal conduit, support structures, cable tray, to name a few.
Static grounds: A static ground is a connection made between a piece of equipment and the earth for the purpose of draining off static electricity charges before a flash over potential is reached. This type grounding system is utilized in dry materials handling, flammable liquid pumps and delivery equipment, plastic piping, and explosive storage facilities.
System grounds: A system ground refers to the point in an electrical circuit that is connected to earth. This connection point is typically at the electrical neutral. The sole purpose of the system ground is to protect equipment. This type ground also provides a low impedance path for fault currents improving ground fault coordination. This ensures longer insulation life of motors, transformers and other system components.
Maintenance grounds: This type ground is utilized for safe work practices, and is a temporary ground.
Electronic and computer grounds: Grounding for electronic equipment is a special case in which the equipment ground and the system ground are combined and applied in unity. Electronic equipment grounding systems must not only provide a means of stabilizing input voltage levels, but also act as the zero (0) voltage reference point. Grounding systems for the modern electronics installation must be able to provide effective grounding and bonding functions well into the high frequency megahertz range.
Lightning protection: Lightning protection grounding requirements are dependent upon the structure, equipment to be protected, and the level of lightning protection required of desired.
The answer to your question is no. Grounding does not increase the chances of a lightning strike. It increases the chances of SURVIVING a lightning strike.
The problem, is that your equipment already has a path to ground (antenna/enclosure → electronics → cat-5 → poe → switch/router → UPS → power grid).
By properly grounding everything, you are providing a better path to ground. Just one weak link can result in damage.
At the same time, it’s critical that everything in your equipment shack be properly grounded. In the event that lightning does make it down a Cat-5 or RF cable, you want to shunt that strike ASAP. For this reason, you should NEVER use an ungrounded POE injector. It blows my mind at how many vendors (including MT) sell injectors without a ground.
But, even a properly grounded tower and equipment shack is not enough… if those 2 structures do not have a bonded ground, you end up with something called a ground differential, which can make lightning skip your perfectly grounded tower and surge right through your ethernet and/or RF cables.
How do I know you ask? Well, 2 years ago, the group I worked for had a brand new site. The project planner put together a great system, but did not think to have either the electrician or the tower crew provide a bond between the tower and the shack. We had ~$10k worth of equipment up there, and 2 weeks after going live, a storm moved through and fried every single piece of equipment on the tower and in the shack and melted every run of Cat-5.
it’s ironic. some of my grounded ubiquiti fried their ethernet ports on a lightning storm, while my ungrounded SXTs and omniTIK still ok