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Re: [TowerTalk] ground rod depth problem due to rocky soil -- solutions?

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] ground rod depth problem due to rocky soil -- solutions?
From: David Gilbert <xdavid@cis-broadband.com>
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2012 14:42:42 -0700
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>

Think of the earth as a large lossy conductor. You can get pretty much the same effect by contacting it with a few low resistance "probes" in a localized area or a lot of higher resistance "probes" spread over a larger area. The former often benefits from the typically higher moisture content the deeper you go, but if everything on your site is rock that probably doesn't hold anyway.

In my opinion, if the "soil" in your area is not high conductivity in the first place (i.e., it's rock), you're probably better off with the larger area approach even if you were able to drive the rods in deeper.

73,
Dave   AB7E




On 11/12/2012 2:30 PM, Mat Eshpeter wrote:
I am finally getting around to putting up my 60' AN Wireless tower on top of a 
rocky ridge in WV. I rented a Hilti demo hammer and got about 1/3 of my rods in 
to the ground at least 4' -- but the majority are only 2 or 3 feet deep because 
of the rocks/ledges. I don't think I have much of a choice other than to cut 
the rods off and drive the remnants into the ground field and exothermically 
weld my 20 gauge copper strap to all of these shallow rods.
Other than paying big money for a well drilling rig to drill some deep 6" holes 
and filling them with bentonite (which may not be possible given the slope of the 
land and the fact that I now have 8 trenches running 75' out from the tower pad) do 
I have any other practical alternatives?
tnx,Matkk1c             

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