After the recent grounding discussions , last night during a thunderstorm I was
thinking about how to go about grounding/lightning protection. Here is the
basic
setup , UST TX-472 , with PRO57B , Inv L for 160 and dipoles for 40/80. I will
be using a Remote antenna switch at the base to minimize the runs to the house.
This is my plan:
3 ground rods at the tower on 3 sides (the 4th is against the garage) all
bonded
together using Exothermic welding , I will run radials from a plate of some
sort
that will be bonded to the ground wire also.
Now there are 2 scenarios I have to consider:
Scenario 1:
My shack is currently on the second floor of the house ( about 130ft from the
tower) at the opposite end from the breaker panel and service entrance. If I
keep it there I was going to run #6 Stranded from the tower to a copper plate
(maybe Aluminum)in a box at the base of the house that will be bonded to 1 or 2
ground rods (possibly another radial field there too , not sure if that will
help with lightning ?). I would connect the shield of the coax to to the plate
before running it up to the second floor along with more #6 stranded to the
shack. One issue I have with this is I am not sure how to make the 90 degree
transition into the window to get the ground into the shack. Another is that in
order to tie the system to the house ground I will have to run all the way
across the basement to tie into the house ground at the breaker panel.
Scenario 2:
I move the Shack to the basement , this makes the runs shorter and I can tie
into the existing house ground much easier as the shack will only be about 10
feet from the breaker panel and service entrance.I would also use a box and tie
the shield to the ground system. This has issues as well as I would have to
build a room and move the radio room to the basement. To do this I have to
tunnel under a side walk , but , I think that isn't too difficult.
One last thing is that I am renting so there is only so much I can do , I plan
on being here for awhile so I don't have any issues with doing what it takes to
make it safer. My landlord will have no issues with anything I do as long as I
explain it is for safety reasons. My landlord is pretty reasonable , I mean
heck
, he let me put up a 72 ft crank up with a big yagi on top...
Thoughts ? ( i am sure i left something out , but , you get the basic idea)
Dan N8DCJ
p.s. I saw some remarks regarding using #2 solid vs #6 stranded , but , I was
half asleep when I read them and do not recall what that thread was about. In
this area #6 stranded is $0.67/ft and #2 Solid is $1.77/ft.
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