[CQ-Contest] Contesting from the basement

[Barry]

On 24 Jul 2003 Glenn O'Donnell, K3PP wrote:

>I REALLY like
> the idea raised in this thread about the ground rods through the floor.  The
> next QTH will have these installed BEFORE the floor is poured. Great
> concept, guys!
> 

One more note about ground rods. I had the foresight to have the 
builder install two ground rods just where I wanted them, before the 
concrete was poured for the basement. I had the shack all figured out 
even before the house was built. He even dug the holes and poured the 
concrete for my tower base and guy anchors, and installed a buried 4 
inch PVC from the tower base to the house (with my supervision - he 
tried to get away with digging the holes only 2 feet deep!)  It was 
part of the building contract.
But,
little did I know (or ask) where the builder was going to put the oil 
tank, blower for the heater, etc. Yup, you guessed it. Within 3 feet 
of my ground rods. And, of course, he didn't ask me why I wanted the 
ground rods installed.
So, I would up hack sawing those two ground rods as close to the 
concrete as I could. Then, I drilled through the slab and installed 
my rods where the shack would up going, on the other side of the 
basement, away from the utility stuff. BTW, I sealed the hole around 
the rods with some silicone caulk and have never had a leak around 
them. I have had water in the basement on occasion after very heavy 
rains, but never did it come through the sealed ground rod hole.
Moral of the story - if you're building a house, put the ground rods 
in first, and make sure you ask where all the basement fixtures are 
going.
Barry, W2UP--
Barry Kutner, W2UP              Internet: w2up at mindspring.com
Newtown, PA                     Frankford Radio Club