[Elecraft] Mobile Grounding for KX3 and KXPA100

[Bob McGraw K4TAX]

I do agree that the radio, the amp should be connected to the power 
source negative as "ground".  As to connecting to mother earth, it is 
the antenna that works against earth.  Thus if you are using a center 
fed dipole, no mother earth connection is needed.   If you are using an 
OCFD antenna, a good balun plus a common mode choke at the feed point 
plus a common mode choke before the amp/radio is required.   If you are 
using a vertical or inverted L, then a real ground system with radials 
is required for the antenna to work against.  If you are using a random 
length of wire thus end fed, then a real ground system is needed.   A 
single  driven ground rod IS NOT a good ground system for any antenna.

As to grounding the radio and amp...............nah, not needed if all 
else is correct.

73

Bob, K4TAX


On 6/11/2018 4:09 PM, Smedes, Tad - Comcast wrote:
> I am planning to use my KX3 and KXPA100 powered by Budipole PowerMini 
> and LiFEPO4 battery for field day this year and have a question about 
> grounding.  When I am using them both at the home station they are 
> grounded to each other and every other piece of equipment in the shack 
> using a ground bar and copper straps.  When I use my KX3 by itself 
> mobile I have never grounded it and never had an issue.  Is there 
> anything special that I need to do do when I hook the KX3 to the 
> KXPA100 while mobile, and what is it? and or what do the rest of you 
> do when running mobile with a KX3 and KXPA100 for grounding?
>