Topband: RFI - and lots of it

[Tom W8JI]

>I have and electrician coming next week who says he will check things out 
>and first of all ground the breaker panel to two ground rods 7 feet apart. 
>I thought the grounding was put at the meter but he says they don't do that 
>anymore. I think the old meter, before we had the new one put in had a 
>ground rod beneath it but nothing now. The only ground I could find to the 
>panel is a skimpy wire going to a water line. All of which looks corroded 
>etc.. I know many dollars were spent on renovation and restoration of this 
>place but I'm afraid to much emphasis was placed on cosmetic and not enough 
>on electrical as I look more closely, pretty depressing. >>>>>

Jim,

Just keep in mind when  you do the work, the quality of the house ground to 
earth is far less important than having everything entering the house being 
bonded to act like one common point.

One of the biggest mistakes in amateur radio grounding over the decades has 
been having the shack antenna and control cable entrance ground 
non-existent, and the common shack desk equipment ground to an independent 
ground.

The shack ground must be bonded to the mains ground so everything entering 
the house is as close to one potential as you can get it.

Correcting things may not cure your RFI, but it always makes things much 
safer and more reliable.

73 Tom