> Having the cables exit the tower above ground is a really bad idea.
I don't doubt it, but wonder about the practicalities.
My cables run down the inside of the tower. That wasn't in hopes of creating
a Faraday shield, but because I have three TIC rings on the tower and it was
easier to run and manage the cables inside. Anyway, they run down to about a
foot above the concrete base, then exit at about a 90 degree sweep to a
metal Nema box about 3 feet from the tower. I'd say the bundle of cables is
no more that 1 foot off the ground, maybe a little less due to sag. I didn't
want to run the cables right to the base and along the ground and up to the
box because I figured there was less chance critters would chew the wires if
they were a bit off the ground (so far, no teeth marks.)
The shields of the heliax and coax runs are bonded to the tower at their
upper ends and at the base. I used commercial grounding kits, and ran the
ground straps as far down the legs of the bottom section as I could (had to
stop above the flare that connects the bottom section with the pins in the
base plate.) So, the ground straps are bonded to the legs maybe 4-6 inches
or so above the concrete pad.
Should the cables literally be brought all the way to the surface of the
pad? If that's not possible or practical, does it help to have the ground
straps connected lower than the cable exit point?
73, Dick WC1M
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