I have the same condition in Aruba. I just used a bunch of 2' ground rods.
John KK9A / P40A
To: TOWERTALK@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Ground Rods in rocky soil
From: k4xs
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 12:50:06 EST
After being spoiled by Florida's sugar sand in which you could dig a hole
for a base for holes and anchors by hand and drive a ground rod down by
"jetting" it, I now live on one of the biggest rock piles in the world.
Most of the Big Island of Hawaii has solid lava rock. Fortunately, my area
is a little bit better...a mix of clay, small rocks and rocks up to a foot
across, certainly not the kind of stuff easy to get into. Sometimes the
layer
of pure clay is just a few inches thick, in other places it can be ten feet
deep. Ground rods and copper are pretty expensive out here and I don't
want
to experiment losing rods just a couple of feet into the ground and getting
stuck at that depth.
I know I can use a backhoe to dig the holes and will have one on the
property to dig the cesspool, but what is the best way to go getting ground
rods in?
I asked the locals at one of the radio club meetings and they weren't much
help. Responses were.....most guys just drive it in a foot or so and use
radials. Since the station will sit on a hill, I really don't feel too
secure
putting the rod in only a foot, however I do plan on running the radials,
since I know it will help.
Any ideas?
Bill K4XS/KH7XS
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