[TowerTalk] There's 'ground', and then there's 'ground'

[Gary Schafer]

Well, If you turn that statement around to read the way I meant it..
"You do not have a good ground unless it is moist".

73
Gary  K4FMX

David Robbins K1TTT wrote:
> You can not 'require' moist ground for an adequate ground... in fact you
> usually have to design for the worst case and be sure you have a good enough
> ground even when the soil is dead dry.
> 
> 
> David Robbins K1TTT
> e-mail: mailto:k1ttt at arrl.net
> web: http://www.k1ttt.net
> AR-Cluster node: 145.69MHz or telnet://dxc.k1ttt.net
>  
> 
> 
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Gary Schafer [mailto:garyschafer at comcast.net]
>>Sent: Monday, January 17, 2005 17:14
>>To: David Robbins K1TTT
>>Cc: 'Alan NV8A (ex. AB2OS)'; 'towertalk reflector'
>>Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] There's 'ground', and then there's 'ground'
>>
>>Yes the main reason for keeping them away from the foundation is to keep
>>them in a more moist ground. The ground tends to be much dryer under the
>>eves of the house.
>>
>>Concrete is not a bad lightning conductor but the foundation wall of a
>>house with a basement will be rather dry.
>>
>>Lightning is in the range of DC to around 1 mhz so it is not high
>>frequency energy for the bulk of it although some of it does extend
>>higher. Moist ground is a requirement for a good lightning ground.
>>
>>73
>>Gary  k4FMX
>>
>>David Robbins K1TTT wrote:
>>
>>>That is a convenient way to say 'keep them away from the foundation'...
>>>moisture helps for low frequency and low current grounding where ion
>>>conduction is the main conduction method, but does almost nothing for
>>
>>high
>>
>>>frequencies or lightning.
>>>
>>>
>>>David Robbins K1TTT
>>>e-mail: mailto:k1ttt at arrl.net
>>>web: http://www.k1ttt.net
>>>AR-Cluster node: 145.69MHz or telnet://dxc.k1ttt.net
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>From: Alan NV8A (ex. AB2OS) [mailto:nv8a at att.net]
>>>>Sent: Monday, January 17, 2005 17:00
>>>>To: towertalk reflector
>>>>Cc: David Robbins K1TTT
>>>>Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] There's 'ground', and then there's 'ground'
>>>>
>>>>I have read that the ground rods should be out from the eaves,
>>>>presumably (my guess) because the ground there will stay moister.
>>>>
>>>>Alan NV8A
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>On 01/17/05 11:38 am David Robbins K1TTT tossed the following
>>>>ingredients into the ever-growing pot of cybersoup:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Depending on the spacing of the 2 existing rods you could reduce your
>>>>
>>>>ground
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>impedance by 50% or more with 2 more rods.  Maybe a LOT more depending
>>>>
>>>>on
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>the exact geometry of the situation.  Lots of people make a big mistake
>>>>
>>>>by
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>driving a rod right next to the foundation, you should note that this
>>>>>reduces the effectiveness of the rod because half of the circle around
>>>>
>>>>it is
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>cut off by the foundation forcing all the current to go in only one
>>>>>direction.
>>>>
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>
>>>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.
> 
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