| Author |
Message |
    
Oldpirate
Member
Username: Oldpirate
Post Number: 77
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, September 01, 2005 - 7:20 am: | 
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What material is best for a ground rod for grounding an antenna galvanised steel or copper |
Hollowpoint445
Advanced Member
Username: Hollowpoint445
Post Number: 727
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, September 01, 2005 - 4:33 pm: |
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Most people think copper is better because copper is the better conductor - and it is - but that's not the reason. Copper resists oxidation longer than zinc so it'll work longer.
There are folks like me who are cheap and prefer galvanized steel because the materials are inexpensive thanks to the TV antenna market. Galvanized ground rods, glavanized steel clamps, aluminum ground wire - it's all inexpensive and the galvanic indicies are compatible so there is no need to use transitional metals from copper to zinc or aluminum. |
Oldpirate
Member
Username: Oldpirate
Post Number: 80
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Friday, September 02, 2005 - 8:15 pm: |
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Hollowpoint,I just got a 3meter (10ft) length of 1/2 inch copper rod, The location of this should give a good ground as it is going into a damp area of the lawn, in fact even in the middle of summer this area of lawn never completely drie's. Is it okay to ground radio's, antenna and amplifier to the same ground rod? the cable run to each of these items is only about 8 ft. |
Hollowpoint445
Advanced Member
Username: Hollowpoint445
Post Number: 729
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Friday, September 02, 2005 - 9:57 pm: |
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Sure, but if you're grounding equipment to it you should also connect your home's electrical system ground to it as well. The reason for that is if your new ground is better than the existing house ground - and it will be as it's newer - the new ground will become the house ground through all of your equipment and that's potentially very dangerous.
There are several good sources of information about grounding on the internet. Here's a good link to start:
http://www.polyphaser.com/datasheets/PEN1016.pdf
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Hollowpoint445
Advanced Member
Username: Hollowpoint445
Post Number: 730
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Friday, September 02, 2005 - 10:05 pm: |
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I just tried that link and apparently they don't allow direct linking to that document so here's the page it came from:
http://www.polyphaser.com/ppc_TD1016.aspx |
Oldpirate
Member
Username: Oldpirate
Post Number: 81
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, September 03, 2005 - 2:47 am: |
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Thanks for the info, it was exactly what I needed. AC power supply here is 220-240 volts 50 hz so the last thing I want is to get a zap through my equipment.
Murray |
