[Amps] Amp causing RFI

[Glen Zook]

Having spent over 30-years as a telecommunications consultant, and having specialties in lightning protection and r.f. grounding, I say that adding ground rods, etc., is NOT balderdash!  No, adding such does not always produce measurable results.  However, the majority of times adding external grounding does contribute favorably.
There are PROPER methods of installing coaxial cable.  NFPA NEC (National Electrical Code) requires that the coaxial cable shield be connected to a ground rod at the point where it enters the building.  This is for lightning protection as well as providing an r.f. grounding point.  Also, when the cable is installed on a tower, mast, etc., the shield needs to be grounded to that structure as near the antenna as possible and at the point the cable leaves the structure to enter the building.  In addition, if the structure is higher than around 100-feet, the shield needs to be grounded every 50-feet to 75-feet along the structure.
All "other" ground rods, etc., MUST also be connected to the AC mains ground.  There are several reasons for this of which lightning protection is foremost.
Way too many seem to think that the 3rd wire in the AC wiring in their house provides sufficient grounding.  Sometimes it does and, more times than not, there can be problems on various bands caused by the length of the wire between the outlet and the AC mains ground rod.
The whole idea is to get the lowest impedance path to ground.  When just wire is concerned, the length of the lead needs to be no more than around 4-feet long and shorter is better.  You can increase the length of the grounding path by using something like aluminum flashing which is available in widths from around 4-inches wide to more than 36-inches wide.  Aluminum is not as conductive as copper.  However, it is much cheaper and having wider widths overrides the conductivity.
Just get the flashing as near the ground rod as possible (usually on the inside of the building), and then a short piece of large diameter wire through the building wall to the ground rod.
There are other things, like using chemical ground rods, that can definitely improve r.f. grounding.  One just has to do as much as possible to achieve a good grounding system.  Of course, the more that the individual can do themselves, the cash outlay is reduced.
Glen, K9STH 
Website: https://k9sth.net 

    On Monday, February 3, 2020, 09:57:16 PM CST, Jim Brown <jim at audiosystemsgroup.com> wrote:  
Balderdash. The earth is not a sump into which noise, RFI, and other 
trash is poured. Comments like this bring to mind the infinite number of 
monkeys and typewriters producing Shakespeare.

73, Jim K9YC