[TowerTalk] Ground Rods in rocky soil

[john at kk9a.com]

I have the same condition in Aruba.  I just used a bunch of 2' ground rods.

John KK9A / P40A



To: TOWERTALK at contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Ground Rods in rocky soil
From: k4xs
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 12:50:06 EST


After being spoiled by Florida's sugar sand in which you could dig  a hole
for a base for holes and anchors by hand and drive a ground rod down  by
"jetting" it, I now live on one of the biggest rock piles in the world.

Most of the Big Island of Hawaii has solid lava rock.   Fortunately, my area
is a little bit better...a mix of clay, small rocks  and rocks up to a foot
across, certainly not the kind of stuff easy to get  into.  Sometimes the 
layer
of pure clay is just a few inches thick, in  other places it can be ten feet
deep.  Ground rods and copper are  pretty expensive out here and I don't 
want
to experiment losing rods just a  couple of feet into the ground and getting
stuck at that depth.

I know I can use a backhoe to dig the holes and will have one on the
property to dig the cesspool, but what is the best way to go getting ground
rods  in?
 I asked the locals at one of the radio club meetings and they weren't  much
help.  Responses were.....most guys just drive it in a foot or so and  use
radials.  Since the station will sit on a hill, I really don't feel too 
secure
putting the rod in only a foot, however I do plan on running the radials,
since I know it will help.

Any ideas?

Bill K4XS/KH7XS