[TowerTalk] Re: TowerTalk Digest, Vol 11, Issue 40

[Bill Ogden]

What is a reasonable way to connect ground wires to a tower (a TX-455, in
this case, with the tilt-over feature)?  I plan on three ground rods and
about 50 radials.  I'll probably use insulated #14 wire (from Home Depot)
for the radials and #8 bare for the ground rods.

The tower and base are zinc coated.  The wires are copper.  Is tinning the
exposed wires a good idea?  Possibly joining groups of radials together a
short distance from the base and running a single wire from each group to
the base?  Should the connections to the tower simply be wire loops
(tinned?) under the base bolts?

Also, I believe that the sliding sections cannot be counted on for good
connections (when the tower is used as a vertical).  I thought about
connecting one of the #14 wires from the top coax arm to the second coax
arm and then to the bottom coax arm, with two middle cords to pull the wire
out of the way when lowering the tower.  Should these wires be tinned and
looped under coax arm bolts?

I am surprised about how little mention there is of practical mechanical
problems in the handbooks.

Bill
W2WO