[TowerTalk] Exothermic/Cadwelds one shots etc...

Thu Aug 26 01:46:03 EDT 2004

> Roger et al:
>
>     Your photos bring back fond memories (?) of my driving the ground rods
> into my back yard!  Ouch.  Thanks.

Thanks<:-))

>
>     The sand is a great idea.  In addition to plugging up the openings in
> the mold, it will keep the wires in place while you pour in the charge

Clay also works quite well and either eliminate the need for purchasing some 
kind of sealing compound.

> powder and set it off.  If you set up the splice as I did, i.e., 
> unsupported
> wires sticking out of the mold, they could move or drop out of the form 
> just
> as you set off the charge.  You can't see the position of the wires once 
> you
> pour in the powder and put the lid on the mold.
>
>     I would recommend that the ceramic mold pieces be removed from the 
> hole
> before you cover up the ground rod.  The pieces of ceramic are pretty 
> sharp

I didn't show it in the photos, but I beat the thing off with a good size 
hammer and get rid of the ceramic chips.

> and, with freeze-thaw cycling in the ground, could nick the buried ground
> wire.  Yes, there are rocks underground, too, that could do the same thing
> to the wire.  But why not take a few seconds to clean out the ceramic.

I try to remove all the stones as well although what few we have are usually 
small, smooth and rounded. Our yard has very few stones near the surface as 
it's nearly all fill dirt.

Beneath the surface there are sand veins running through the clay. When I 
used the hydraulic drill to cut the holes for the grounds rods near the 
tower I had water shooting out around the bolts and joints of the tower.

Roger Halstead (K8RI, EN73 & ARRL Life Member)
N833R, World's Oldest Debonair (S# CD-2)
www.rogerhalstead.com
>
>     Thanks again for the photos.
>
> 73 de
> Gene Smar  AD3F
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Tower (K8RI)" <tower at rogerhalstead.com>
> To: "Gene Smar" <ersmar at comcast.net>; <N8DCJ at YAHOO.COM>;
> <towertalk at contesting.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2004 11:04 PM
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Exothermic/Cadwelds one shots etc...
>
>
>> Here's a few shots of using one shots and the installation of my ground
>> system.
>>
>> http://www.rogerhalstead.com/ham_files/ground.htm
>>
>> 73
>>
>> Roger (K8RI)
>> > Dan:
>> >
>> >     Talk to Joel at RF Connections in Gaithersburg, MD  (
> www.therfc.com )
>> > .   When I bought my one-shots in 2001 they were about $7-$8 each.
> Don't
>> > forget to buy the flint starter (it's only $6 and a lot safer than
>> > matches).
>> > A propane torch starter won't work; it doesn't throw the spark. You
> might
>> > also want to get a supply of electrician's putty (Home Despot sells it,
>> > made
>> > by GB among others).  You'll need to put a wad of this clay around each
> of
>> > the openings in the one-shot mold to ensure the material doesn't leak
> out.
>> > (At least I did.)
>> >
>> >     Using these things is pretty easy if you follow the box's
>> > instructions.
>> > Lightly sand and wipe the top couple of inches of each ground rod 
>> > before
>> > you
>> > put the mold over it, insert the ground wire ends, put the putty around
>> > the
>> > mold openings (including underneath where the rod passes through), and
>> > carefully place the contents of the plastic containers (the magic
> powders)
>> > into the mold.  Put on the top, flick the flint igniter and stand back.
>> > The
>> > one-shots are not noisy, just smokey so stay upwind.
>> >
>> > 73 de
>> > Gene Smar  AD3F
>> >
>> > ----- Original Message ----- 
>> > From: "Dan Bookwalter" <n8dcj at yahoo.com>
>> > To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
>> > Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2004 8:15 PM
>> > Subject: [TowerTalk] Exothermic/Cadwelds one shots etc...
>> >
>> >
>> >> Ok All
>> >>
>> >> i am getting prepared to start on my grounding system,
>> >> i am going to tie the tower grounds/radials (150ft
>> >> away) to the shack ground to the main service
>> >> grounds... i am going to drive new 8' rods
>> >> everywhere... (4 at the tower , 3 outside the basement
>> >> shack , 2 at the service entrance , and maybe some
>> >> intermittently around the house when i make a big loop
>> >> around the house with either flashing or #6 wire....
>> >>
>> >> these 'one shots' i keep hearing about where does one
>> >> acquire them and how much.... mu budget is really
>> >> really short , but , i need to get some good lightning
>> >> protection (best as i can anyhow)...
>> >>
>> >> thanks
>> >>
>> >> Dan N8DCJ
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> __________________________________
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>> >> _______________________________________________
>> >>
>> >> 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.
>> >>
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>> > _______________________________________________
>> >
>> > 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.
>> >
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>>
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> 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.
>
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