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[TowerTalk] Copper ground Rods

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] Copper ground Rods
From: K1ZM@aol.com (K1ZM@aol.com)
Date: Sun, 4 May 1997 23:41:37 -0400 (EDT)
HOWDY

Jeff K1ZM here.

I would like an opinion from those out there wiser than I.

I just installed 120 feet of Rohn 45 and for the first time in my life
installed what I thought was proper grounding for the guy wires.

This I did using 1/4" galvanized aircraft cable attached with wire nuts to
each of the four sets of galvanized EHS guys.  At the ground level I took the
1/4 inch aircraft cable and attached it to the ground rods using a typical
1/2-1" electrical type ground clamp.  This variety has the alligator teeth on
each side and a hole with tightening screw for the actual ground wire
attachment.

The two alligator teeth clamp halves are pressured tightened to the 5/8 inch
ground rod using screws on each side of the jaws of the clamp.

The question I have is this - I used COPPER clad steel ground rods as this is
what is typically available at my local Home Depot.  My dead man anchors are
COMMERCIAL ROHN 5/8 inch GAC 455 type anchors (AS IN BIG!).  But these are
GALVANIZED steel stock.

The galvanized anchors are about 5 feet distant from the guy wire grounding
rods at the point where the ground rods attach to the 1/4 aircraft cable
descending from the 4 sets of guys.

QUESTION:  How serious is this dissimilar metals stuff?

How serious a "wet cell" in the ground have I created?

I CANNOT pull these copper rods out.   They are there for life - but I can
disconnect my 1/4" aircraft cable and re-locate it to new ground rods if
absolutely necessary.

If this is a serious problem, will merely hammering in NEW GALVANIZED ground
rods solve the problem as long as NO GROUND wiring is connected to the copper
rod - 6" away which would then be "floating" in close proximity?

Where in BLAZES does one acquire GALVANIZED 5/8 inch 8 foot long ground rods
anyway?

PS - I also did this approach on two legs of my tower where they meet the
ground level - should I change these connections as well over to GALVANIZED
ground rods?

IF I choose to leave this alone, how big a deal is it REALLY?

Can anyone with real experience comment. pse!

Thanks - sure appreciate some help here.  73 Jeff K1ZM@aol.com

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