[TowerTalk] Station and tower grounding

[Thomas Noel]

Check out Rohrer Man-Saver pneumatic drivers. Designed for driving T-posts and steel fence posts up to 2+ inches in diameter. Operates just like a manual post driver that you lift and drop on the top of the post, but clamps onto the post and the “lift” is provided by compressor. Rate of strike limited only by volume or air your compressor can deliver. I drive galvanized ground rods into sandstone. There are a number of adapters for different posts - several sizes of round plus several Tee shapes. I had a local machine shop make an adapter for 5/8” rod for $20.

I put my small generator and pancake compressor in the back of my pick-up and can work away from the shop easily.

See: http://www.rohrermfg.com/post-drivers/?sort=priceasc <http://www.rohrermfg.com/post-drivers/?sort=priceasc>

This is a substantial initial investment, but could be shared by several or a Club. I needed it for my property for fencing, so not so bad to amortize!

Thomas W Noel
KF7RSF

> On Dec 3, 2016, at 10:43 AM, Robert Morris <robrk at nidhog.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> On Dec 3, 2016, at 12:39 PM, Patrick Greenlee wrote:
> 
> I found that really difficult to drive rods would tend to bend when hit really hard with  a sledge so...
> 
> 
> A co-worker made them, when we were doing remote radio sites.
> 
> A "slide hammer"  ?  Maybe you can buy them.
> 
> Find the largest sledge you can, remove handle.
> 
> Get two, two foot lengths of one inch, threaded water pipe and a coupling.*** 
> 
> Weld one pipe into the hammer head. 
> 
> Dig a one foot hole.
> 
> Start with the two pipes together. Slide onto horizontal ground rod.
> 
> Stand rod with hammer,vertical into hole. Push water pipe/hammer up and let it drop.
> 
> When the pipe touches the bottom of the hole, remove one section of the "handle".
> 
> Grab the hammer head and continue.  Finish with regular sledge.
> 
> Now that I think about it, deep in the garage, mine is Version 2.0, with a 16" and 32" pipe/handle.
> 
> No ladders, both feet on the ground.
> 
> 
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