There are two different configurations for steel ground rods -
copper-clad rod or galvanized/tin/aluminum-clad and they're used for
different soil conditions. Here's what Bob, AA0CY, ex-Polyphaser engineer had
to say about them:
>> If your soil is acidic, you want to use galvanized or tin or aluminum
coated products. If it is base or alkaline, copper is the choice. As a
general rule, the eastern part of the US has acidic soil whereas the
western part of the country is alkaline. You can actually do a pH test
using the kits obtainable from a pool/spa store. Dig down to the area
where your grounding system will be (generally 6-18" or more depending
on how far the soil freezes during the winter). Take some dirt from there
and put it in the test tube with some distilled water, shake it up, and test
with the strip. >>
I got this off the TT archives on www.contesting.com - it's a treaure
trove of information.
Cheers,
Steve K7LXC
TOWER TECH
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