[TowerTalk] Shack ground

[Roger (K8RI)]

On 6/18/2010 11:28 AM, jimlux wrote:
> Mickey Baker wrote:
>
>    
>> The object (and original discussion) was how to provide a better path from
>> your communications ground to the SPG than through the household appliances
>> - from one point on earth to another.
>>
>> Every electrical outlet in every house with single phase service is
>> connected to the SPG through the ground lug on the outlet, both of which
>> should be bonded to neutral at the SPG.  When you connect your ground wire
>> from your ground rod to your rig, you then are connecting your ground rod to
>> the SPG through your rig's cabinet.
Unfortunately due to the different lengths of the circuits the potential 
between ground wires in different outlets can be considerable.
The intent is to do the "grounding/bonding" so that all the equipment 
that is tied together, stays together. Unfortunately that too is difficult.
I try to keep all the equipment in any particular room at the same 
potential. IE, They have a common bonding point, or ground.  All of 
these common ground points tie to the overall grounding system for the 
towers and station which also tie to the rather anemic ground at the 
service entrances.(Plural)

Unfortunately (I'm using that word a lot) all this work here has a 
flaw.  The stereo equipment (in the living room), the computers (in the 
living room, den, and shop), and the ham stations (in the den and shop) 
are all tied together via CAT5 and CAT6 network cables, and coax cables 
from the antennas on two different towers that feed the stereo, 
satellite receivers (living room and shop), stereos (living room and 
shop), OTA TV sets (living room, family room in basement, and shop). To 
top it off the house and shop have different electrical feeds from the 
power company, but the grounds for both are tied together with the 
grounding system for the towers.

This works out to be one very large "Earth Ground" system to which 
common bonding points are attached  for specific locations. For the most 
part that keeps the equipment in those individual locations at a common 
potential...more or less  About the only thing I could add would be a 
polyphaser or ICE device on the network cables at each location.

73

Roger (K8RI)