Hi Bill,
Had a major problem here in the Rockies with
grounding. We have bedrock 6 inches under the
soil all over our 5 acre lot. After talking to
the locals, one in particular who installs
microwave towers on rocky terrain on top of the
mountains, he told me they use 50 foot lengths of
copper ribbon/strap about 2 inches across as a
ground. They don't bury it, but run it away from
the base of the tower and just let it sit on top
of the rocks. He said in all the years he's been
doing this, he has yet to see any significant
damage to the equipment, despite numerous direct hits to the towers.
My web page has a few details about it:
http://home.centurytel.net/WD0M/
Click on Ham Radio, then Lightning Protection.
Since I couldn't put my concrete base into the
ground, I had to put the concrete on top - held
in place with 25 lengths of re-bar which were
cemented into the bedrock. (Click on Tower
Project for the details). Quite a
challenge. It's worked well - I've had a direct
hit, and all that got fried were two ICE
protectors - and ICE repaired them for free - great company!
I've lived in KH6 for a few years (Oahu) , and
never had any problems with
lightning. Nonetheless, in your location, I'd
pursue something to help put my mind at ease.
Cheers,
Joe
WDØM
At 10:50 AM 1/18/2007, Cqtestk4xs@aol.com wrote:
>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
>_______________________________________________
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>TowerTalk mailing list
>TowerTalk@contesting.com
>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>
>
>
>--
>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.14/636
>- Release Date: 1/18/2007 4:00 AM
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
|