Hello all,
I am seriously considering placing a ground rod through my basement
floor, concrete slab. I have my shack in the basement near one of the
basement windows. I previously had the rig and other equipment grounded
to the 8ft. ground rod immediately outside the window by the shack with
about a 9-10ft run of ground strap. However, I have a deep basement and
consequently the ground rod was vertical to the station and just outside
on the otherside of the concrete wall. With a field strength meter I
determined the ground strap and rod were both radiating RF. Now my
antennas are on my 50ft tower at the end of the house and the tower has
three ground rods at its base, connecting to the legs and the lightning
arrestors, at the base and top of the tower. The previous problem with
the ground rod out the basement window seemed to be related to a ground
loop situation.
I ask all this because I get complaints now when running >60 watts
output from some neighbors and one day I would like to run an amplifier
with about 500 watts or so. I understand that the RFI is coming from the
antennas, Force 12 C4 and home brew wire antennas off the tower, and not
the rig in the basement but I want the station to be as RF clean as
possible. So I know I will need a ground rod at the rig/amplifier which
I do not have now. After the problems with the ground rod outside the
basement window my elmer suggested to run the station without the ground
rod at the rig and use the braid of the coax, that is my feedline as my
only ground which is grounded at the base of the tower approx 45ft down
the feedline. So I am considering drilling a hole in the basement floor
to drive in a ground rod which would be only a couple feet run of ground
braid to the rig and all other equipment connected to it.
What do you think? Would appreciate any knowledgable feedback.
--
73 dit dit,
David E. Shelton, RN
W4DES Amateur Op
w4des@bellsouth.net
Amateur Radio Transmitting Society
of Louisville, KY
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