[TowerTalk] Site Grounding

Tony King - W4ZT towertalk at w4zt.com
Tue Oct 21 11:39:24 EDT 2003


Not if it is done properly... when properly brazed, it's a sweat joint with 
a much higher strength material.  Now if it's just glopped on like so many 
do their solder joints, it's not worth the time doing it.

Tony W4ZT

At 10:33 AM 10/21/2003, kb9cry at comcast.net wrote:
>I believe a brazed joint will pop open if hit with a lightning induced 
>surge.  Phil  KB9CRY
> > If you have but one chance to bury in the ditches and you're pressed for
> > time, go get some copper plumbing pipe.  Brazing the joints would be best.
> >
> > 73,
> > Tony
> >
> > At 09:57 AM 10/21/2003, Eric Scace K3NA wrote:
> > >Hi Warren --
> > >
> > >    I would not bury braid for this application.  Braid corrodes quickly
> > > when exposed.  As others have pointed out, corroded braid
> > >develops a significant impedance at RF, which is not what one wants in a
> > >grounding system.
> > >
> > >    You would be better off getting some lengths of copper flashing such
> > > as that used for roofs or gutters.  2-3" wide flashing is
> > >fine.  This gives a very low impedance ground than solid large-diameter
> > >copper wire, and is much less expensive.
> > >
> > >    Good luck with your project.
> > >
> > >-- Eric K3NA
> > >
> > >
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: WarrenWolff at aol.com [mailto:WarrenWolff at aol.com]
> > >Sent: 2003 October 21 Tuesday 00:30
> > >To: eric at k3na.org
> > >Cc: WarrenWolff at aol.com
> > >Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Site Grounding
> > >
> > >
> > >Hi Eric,
> > >
> > >I tried to log back on to Tower Talk, but it seems I must have inserted
> > >some strange character in my access info.  Could not get in.
> > >Not sure if I was successful in contacting the list administrator for 
> help.
> > >
> > >I am retiring at Lake Havasu City AZ in 2005; ground is notoriously poor
> > >there despite what the Antenna Handbook says is "just
> > >poor".
> > >
> > >So, I thought as my neighbor was installing a 184 wall with a very deep
> > >foundation and I am butting a 131 foot wall against his, I
> > >could take advantage of these "long" ditches and place a long run
> > >of grounding conductor in the bottom of the ditches.  Then, it would be a
> > >short run to either/both of my towers for lightning
> > >protection.  I would go ahead and run the multiple short
> > >grounding/dissipators as typically recommended.  I would also space some
> > >copper rods along the run.   There also
> > >is a lot more lightning there than the handbook says, as well.
> > >
> > >One person responded that braid was not a good move.  So, I guess I have
> > >more to learn yet.  Want to get the most reliable routing
> > >to ground for the lightning protection, first, and then for entire
> > >station.  I have printed a bunch of stuff from the Internet for
> > >reading, too.
> > >
> > >I am blessed to find that there are no tower height limits at the
> > >lake.  So I will achieve my dream of a big 40 m yagi plus some
> > >nice multiband gadget on the other tower.
> > >
> > >Thanks for your response to my posting.
> > >
> > >Regards,  Warren
> > >
> > >
> > >_______________________________________________
> > >
> > >See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
> > >Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with
> > >any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
> > >
> > >_______________________________________________
> > >TowerTalk mailing list
> > >TowerTalk at contesting.com
> > >http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> > See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless 
> Weather
> > Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any 
> questions
> > and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > TowerTalk mailing list
> > TowerTalk at contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk



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