[TowerTalk] Ground Rods

[Tom Rauch]

>
> I would think the ground conductivity would be better near
the surface
> rather than deep underground, wouldn't it?  Especially
when rain is
> falling.

Conductivity in rain might be OK, but the rod isn't
surrounded by compacted soil on all sides and isn't in moist
soil all the time. It probably has less resistance at high
radio frequencies when laid horizontal, but I'm sure the
real low frequency resistance would be way up especially in
dry conditions.

There isn't any perfect way to do a good ground over rock,
so you need to use as many rods as you can spread out over a
large area along with multiple radials.

I never depend on a rod system by itself. I always use
multiple buried radials along with multiple rods that are
spaced at least a few rod depths apart. Near my towers the
rods mostly serve as corner posts to support the radial
buss. The radials do most of the work.

73 Tom