Hi Jerry:
Recently I was putting in a VHF/UHF antenna and an accompanying ground
rod. My usual method is to just take a sledge hammer and work out for a
while and it is done. However, this time I promply hit a tree root that
was 6-8 inches in diameter. The ground rod (8'x 5/8" copper clad steel)
would not go further nor come out. The day before I had needed to drill
a hole in my basement wall for the coax and had called a local rental
place for a suitable drill and concrete bit. So I called them back and
described what I was doing with the ground rod and they said they had
just the tool. What they had was an electric impact tool with various
size bits. It weighed 21 pounds and had a front and rear handle with a
speed control. The two pieces rented for about $8.50 per hour and about
$25.00 per day including tax.
Remember the ground rod is now stuck in a huge tree root. Between
myself and my son it took us about 15 minutes of actual time to drive
the rod thru the root and about 2" below the surface. Oh, BTW we hit
two more smaller roots or rocks or something while going down. Just
lean a little harder and it goes thru. The bit slightly mushroomed the
head and I had to file it a little to get the clamp over it. (Will put
the clamp on first in the future.)
I found some smaller rental places don't have them but the a larger
location did. Driving time both ways (8 mile round trip) and driving
the rod in was less than an hour. I've previously put in four other
ground rods on the lot and wish I had thought of this before.
Hop the idea helps.
73,
Jim, AB0UK
grf@uneedspeed.net wrote:
>Finally got around to burying my cables to the tow....75'...thank you
>Mr. Landscaping Contractor! Anyway, need to install ground rods at the
>tower before the landscaper finishes up. I live in Lake Havasu City, AZ
>and it's certainly not nice midwest soil. Rocks throughout the soil
>(such as it is). Anyone ever had to drive ground rods into this desert
>soil? Any handy hints? Perhaps I should use some sort of UF'er ground
>instead.
>Tnx for any assistance you can give me.
>Jerry France
>K7LY
>
>_______________________________________________
>
>See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
>Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any
>questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
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