[TenTec] TEN-TEC shack photos [flat braid; antenna switch]

[Jim Brown]

On 5/3/2012 5:51 AM, Bob McGraw - K4TAX wrote:
> The method suggested by Bob McGraw is to have each piece of equipment on the
> desk connected to a common point, preferably the station power supply ground
> terminal.  I use #10 AWG automotive primary wire for this application.  Lugs
> on each end are crimped and then soldered.  One jumper for each piece of
> equipment to the common point or ground lug on the station supply.

In addition to being good practice for RFI and lightning, bonding all 
equipment together, chassis-to-chassis, greatly reduces issues with hum 
and buzz caused by AC leakage currents.  These bonds should be short, 
fat copper (#10 is a good choice, and I use braid stripped from RG8).  
Doing this bonding to a common point rather than chassis-to-chassis is 
WORSE from a hum and buzz point of view, and no better from a lightning 
protection or RFI point of view.  This collection of chassis-to-chassis 
bonds is what must be bonded to all other grounds as noted below.  A 
further reduction in hum and buzz is easily achieved by getting all 
power for radio equipment, and all other gear connected to radio 
equipment, from the same AC outlet, or from AC outlets that share the 
same "Green Wire," or from outlets whose Green Wires are bonded together.

> On lightning protection, this should be outside of the house using devices
> such as Alpha Delta systems, Polyphaser or arc gaps and these should be
> applied to all feedlines and rotor control cables.  Be sure the ground
> system for the station or tower is bonded back to the AC mains ground and
> this should be done outside of the house.

It is important to realize that it is the bonding of all coax shields 
together, and of that combination to earth by a short robust path, and 
of that earth connection to ALL OTHER EARTH connections, including 
power, CATV, telco, satellite, etc. is what provides lightning primary 
protection for you and your home. All that the Polyphaser does is short 
the center conductor of the coax to the shield to protect the input and 
output stages radio to which  it is connected.

73, Jim K9YC