[Boatanchors] Ground Rod

[Mike Sanders K0AZ]

And that depends on where you are. BUT wherever you are the ground will
"heal" itself
in very short order. The bottom line is ground it as best you can and do it
the easiest
way possible. Anyone who is using water to get a rod in the ground is lucky
they can
do it that way. It does not work everywhere like that and in some places
getting a rod
in the ground manually is almost impossible. Anyone wanting to get a 5/8
inch 8 footer
in the ground at my place manually is welcome to try it.
If your equipment is not grounded you have a difference in potential that is
a definite
safety hazard. A low impedance/inductance path to ground is a help in
preventing equipment
damage from lightning. Getting a good RF ground is difficult at higher
frequencies for
most folks but some of us are lucky in having control of equipment and
ground placements.
I have a decent RF ground for most ham bands but not for high VHF or UHF.

Your grounding for several reasons obviously. Each installation is going to
be different.

Rule number one in grounding is do the very best you can with what you have
to work with.

I am getting ready to ring another tower base on a crank up crank over.
There will be 4
rods 5/8 by 8 foot and they will be driven with an electric jack hammer. No
other way.
Even a fence post driver (manual piece of pipe closed off at one end to slam
down over
a steel fence post) can fail in rocky soil where some rocks are large (like
here)

By the way another subject in grounding relating to towers is do not cad
weld any tower
legs like Rohn 25/45/55 etc. as it weakens the legs greatly. I use the old
number two on
about a 4 inch run of wire brushed tower leg. This is hose clamped several
times and then
sprayed with cold galvanizing compound. Obviously this is a method that will
require attention
over time but will last for many years. Easy to inspect and easy to refurb
when needed.

Knowing the theory of all this stuff is wonderful but when your actually
doing something
compromises must be made due to the site.

K0AZ
Michael D. Sanders
18169 Highway 174
MT Vernon, MO 65712
Lawrence County ARES EC
6 Meter DXCC #436
6 Meter WAZ #37
6 Meter WAS WAC VUCC WAJD

-----Original Message-----
From: boatanchors-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:boatanchors-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Greg Mijal
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 10:29 AM
To: AB3L1 at aol.com; garyschafer at comcast.net; boatanchors at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Ground Rod


I use a water hose fitting to run water thru a hollow 10 foot copper pipe
for use as ground rods on a L antenna.  With the water trick the rods go all
the way in in 30 seconds or less.  People tell me that it is not a good way
to install ground rods because the flowing water displaces too much earth
and causes a weak ground. A gentleman that works for the phone company said
that in a month or so the soft ground dries and then re-packs itself around
the ground rod so the ground is good after a month or so of "seasoning".
73's
Greg
WA7LYO
in sunny Feenix
----- Original Message -----
From: <AB3L1 at aol.com>
To: <garyschafer at comcast.net>; <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 8:17 AM
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Ground Rod


> The idea that if you can push the ground rod in by hand may not
necessarily mean that it isn't making contact.
>
> By using the water  to aid in pushing the rod, I would look at it as using
the resulting mud, as being the "oil", to lubricate the rod as it is pushed
in. The water will displace the air from the dirt so that when the water
dissipates you will have rod to dirt contact. The idea is to move the rod
straight up and down as much as possible cuz if you start to push it side to
side the hole elongates and there will be an air void.
>
> I replaced the gas service to a prior house. Had to dig a hole at the curb
to work the hookup at the valve. Naturally there was a good sized hole to
fill. My plumber buddy told me how to do it without having a huge hump as
the groung gradually settled. Water the bottom of the hole, put a four inch
layer of soil on top and walk over it to pack it in. More water, more dirt,
pack. By the time I was done all the dirt was back in and the sod was back
on top, level with the rest and never settled after that.
> No air, all dirt.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Have fun,
>
> Bob AB3L
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