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[AMPS] Grounding

To: <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: [AMPS] Grounding
From: bcotter@pop.uky.edu (Bill Cotter)
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 1997 12:19:43 -0500
Hollo Everyone,

I totally agree with Ron's views concerning grounding with one exception. I
ground the chassis of my amplifier and power supply as a precaution against
a neutral wiring failure. Ths ground is a #6 "DC" ground back to the
entrance panel. The coax cables provide a common bond between all other
equipment.

To prevent lightning disasters there is only ONE sure protection -
disconnect AC-lines and antennas from all equipment. All my system
grounding is done at the towers and the feedlines terminate at the coax
antenna switches. The switches are grounded by a braid to the tower system.
Rotor and remote swithc control lines diconnect with Cinch-Jones plugs and
plug into a ground bus using mating C-J connectors with all pins grounded.
Any strike or charge will (hopefully) find the lower impedance ground at
the base of the tower.

IMHO:  Leaving equipment connected to antennas when not in use invites
strike damage......

Bill, N4ALG





At 12:06 AM 3/22/97 +0000, Ron Hooper wrote:
>Alfred J. Frugoli wrote:
>> 
>> When grounding an amplifier, should the ground strap go from the amp to
>> the tranciever and then to ground, or should the amp and tranciever
>> grounded directly to ground individually?  Will the latter cause a
>> ground loop?  Thanks.
>> --
>
>  Grounding from the rig to amplifier will duplicate the coax shield
>being used as a ground in most cases. I always use RG8 spec grade coax
>with a heavy shield, instead of some smaller stuff and forget the bond
>between the amp and rig. 
>  I ground the towers very well and never ground in the shack.I have
>found that grounding in the shack leads the lightning to my equipment.
>Usually a strike will raise the ground above ground and if you have a
>long coax going to a ground in the shack it will run right to it. If you
>feel better about grounding your equipment, ask some one that has had
>thier equipment grounded and lost it to lightning. Power plug
>connections will also serve as a ground, since it should go back to a
>ground rod nearby your power panel. 
>  If your having problems with RF getting back into the shack, its
>probably coming in on the outside of the coax, which could be a problem
>with the antenna. Grounding in the shack will help put the rf into the
>ground but it would make better use if put into the air. 
>Ron W4WA
>
>--
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>
>

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