Ground Wire

[BobOstro61]

Is it safe to run a ground wire over a rain gutter? Its the only way to get the ground wire from my antenna to the grounding rod. I'm just concerned that if there's a lightning strike, it will go through the gutters and ignite the roof.

[Guest]

lol you could but if your running a-99 you dont need to run a ground

[Mr RadioActive]

Most grounds goof up fiberglass base antennas.

[231]

I always ground my antennas. I never had a problem with my A99 being grounded...at any of the heights I've had it at. It shouldn't be a problem just running the ground wire where ever you want...as long as it goes to a good ground rod.

Just my $.02

[Mr RadioActive]

If your ground is more then 50 ohms, which when most people ground their stuff they are, electricity will travel the feedline and not the ground. This is the reason so many radios go poof even when there is a ground.
Also why do so many tvs get teared up with fiberglass base antennas?? The ground can act as a part of the antenna, and create horrible amts of rf. A proper ground will work well. But the best prevention, is unhook your coax!

[BobOstro61]

That sounds like the best idea. I don't want to cause any TVI for the people around me. If its gonna storm, I'll just unhook the coax from the radio.

[Zeus]

O.K....Now I'm confused?!?!?! I have a fiberglass archer crossbow base antenna, should it NOT be grounded?

ZEUS

[Duck Commander]

That's what i do ever nite when i shut my unit down is unhook the coax so there is no way it can get my stuff then.

[Guest]

I was told by some OLD TIMERS to unhook your coax and stick the end in a JAR!When it lightning!

[racefan6]

when your in a mobile if u run a ground wire aint it supposed to be short as possible?

[BobOstro61]

From what I've heard yes, the ground should be short as possible. This post is about grounding an A-99 base antenna that 25 feet up though.

[Guest]

I wouldn't worry about grounding the A99!

[racefan6]

i knew that. just was wandering about the ground wire tryed to tell somebody and he said hadnt heard that and he thought it didnt matter so i was just making sure

[Guest]

:Peace!:

[BobOstro61]

Doh!! Sorry for my confusion.

[Guest]

NO PROBLEMO! :Peace!:

[dalonzi]

What i do is run a SINGLE point ground. The telescopic antenna mast is grounded to an 8 foot ground rod. I have a polyphaser coax discharge unit inline. The polyphaser unit is mounted to a copper entrance bus which is also connected to an 8 foor ground rod. I have a chassis ground bar under my desk which the chassis of all my equipment is connected to and also connected to the entrance ground bus. If this is confusing check out the polyphaser website. They have diagrams and you can see the units there. This setup is similar to the commercial tower ground. And yes I was running a fiberglass antenna (shakeseare ABS 1600). Now I just ordered the Excalibur through radioactive. Static charges build up on antennas too that need to be shunted to ground. Especially with an aluminum antenna.

[Phaze91460]

That interesting info there.

[518RR]

:Peace!: dalonzi :Peace!:

That's the best ground setup I've seen short of a commercial station. That will protect even a direct strike, which most won't. The common goal is to prevent damage from a lightning strike, but realistically most setups will just do a good job at static discharge. With a ground wire from the antenna mast to a ground rod, chances are you'll still suffer damage in a direct strike via coax, like RA mentioned.

[dalonzi]

I have the polyphaser units inline because I dont want any current coming into the shack. I had a radio damaged once just because of lightning strikes in the local area. I have VHF and UHF radios as well as receivers that coost a bit too much not to have protected. I just ordered an Excalibur antenna from RA and aluminum makes me nervous. I would not have up without protection. If you suffer from a direct strike. Oh well. we start from scratch again.