[TowerTalk] Tower Grounding advice

[R. Kevin Stover]

Scott Neader KA9FOX wrote:
>
> 1) How much distance from the tower to the first ground rod?
>   

8 foot ground rod 8 feet out from the base.
> 2) How much distance from the first ground rod to the second ground 
> rod?  I am assuming it should be 16 feet, based on past research (add 
> up the length of each ground rod, as if you had laid them on the ground)
>   
I have always heard twice the length of the rod, 16' in this case.

> 3) How to attach this 3/4" braided copper strap to the ground rods?
>   
Don't use braid. Get some 2" copper strap and use Cadweld one shots to 
weld the strap to the ground rods.

> 4) How to attach this 3/4" braided copper strap to the tower?  I see 
> Polyphaser has various sized "TK" clamps for this purpose (see 
> http://www.dxengineering.com/products.asp?ID=103 ) -- are these 
> OK?   I've also seen people mention buying brass clamps from Home 
> Depot.  If I did that, I suspect I'd have to "silver solder" the ends 
> of the braided copper strap, then drill a hole through it, then 
> attach that to the clamp?
>   
If you're going to use copper make sure you've got some stainless steel 
shims between the copper and galvanized tower leg.

> 5) How far underground does the braid need to go?  And how far down 
> below the ground do the ground rods need to go?  Soil is largely 
> "clay" with some topsoil. Do I need to go down below the frost 
> line?  (i.e. 2 feet ??)  That sounds like a lot of work, if 
> so!!  Especially for the 20+ feet of copper braid x 3.
>   

About a foot, just deep enough to get into clear topsoil and under the 
sod. They won't frost heave so you don't have to worry about going down 
to frost line.
> Thanks in advance for your sage advice!
>
> 73 - Scott KA9FOX
>
>
>
>
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-- 
R. Kevin Stover
ACØH