[RFI] Ground Rod Placement

[Dr. Robert C. Smithwick]

At 9:49 PM 4/29/1998, dale and sue wrote:
>This is in regards to W4DES' grounding dilemma.  First, both K0IL and
>WA1TQG/5 have made excellent comments that bear careful review.  I'll
>also add:  don't drill through the basement floor for a ground rod.
>



This 'net' is a great resource! I have been following it wid great interest
and saving hard copies.

Let me ask a question of these experts, such as Dale, author of the above.
And my question is simply this:

IF I haven't gone to extraordinary efforts to establish a true ground
system as the ones Dale and others describe, and IF I have no identifiable
problems as a result, should I, "just to be safe" (whatever that means), go
to all that effort?

I use a simple 8' copper rod tied to the transmitter with about a 2" copper
strip about 5-6' long. Equipment consists of maximum power amp (Henry 3K),
55' tower, base of which is about 20' from rig. Tower is grounded on one
leg only with single ground strap onto relatively short rod driven into the
ground adjacent, antennas are 6 element beam for hi bands,  2-el 40M beam,
and 2-3 assorted dipoles. I have no problem so far as I can detect - no
'hot' mics or cabinets, no squeals or howls, nothing. No TVI to speak of in
my own equipment (TVs, hi-fis, satellite TVs, etc.) No TVI has been
reported in several years (nearest neighbor about 100' away). Under these
condx, should I do more??

And thanx for all the ideas!


"Smitty", W6JZU




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