[TowerTalk] Grounding

[Phil Camera]

C. Dwight Baker wrote:

>TT:
>
>Here's the situation.  I have a tower that is 130 feet from entrance to my
>shack and it is connected with a 3 inch plastic pipe. I am running 2 LMR-600
>coax, rotor control, and 2 antenna switches on the tower.  Should I run a #4
>bare copper ground wire inside the pipe from the tower to the SPG at the
>entrance to the shack; run the copper wire along side of the pipe or just
>ignore the #4 connecting the two together?  
>
>  
>
Connect the two grounds together.  I'd run the wire outside the pipe so 
if it gets energized it won't bleed over into the coax and if its 
touching earth, energy will dissipate into the ground; that's where 
lightning wants to go, to ground.

> 
>
>Further, the tower legs are grounded with 3 inch copper strap at about 25-30
>degree angle from the tower to 8 feet copper ground rods about 8 inches
>below grade and the rods are connected with 3 inch copper strap.
>
> 
>  
>
Sounds fine but according to Polyphaser each leg should have up to 85 ft 
worth of ground radials with rods every 2x rod length.  Personally I 
don't have exactly 85 ft. worth on each of mine but they all are more 
than 55 ft in length.

>Lightning is my main concern.  Advice from all you wise sages please.
>
> 
>
>Dwight
>
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>
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>