[GreenKeys] antenna grounding, lightning protection, and wire antennas

[Jon & Valerie Oldenburg]

> 1) antenna mast grounding -- I have a tv antenna mast, and a discone mast
> -- as I understand it, the masts get grounded to building ground at the
> electrical panel, with something like #6 copper ground wire.  The antennas
> are insulated from the mast, I presume.
<snip>
Gil  for electrical noise considerations do not use the electrical system
grounds. Drive a ground rod and use your number 6 wire to it. use brass
bolts & electrolitic grease, or coax seal.  Good silcone clauks contain
acedic acid ( which accounts for their vinagar oder), I'd avoid them.
> 2) lightning/static protection:  I would think that the antennas should
> connect through some sort of gizmo for diverting larger transients to
> ground.  Any recommendations (50-ohm and 75-ohm)?
<snip>  Yes a good lightnig protection is a good idea.  Polyphaser makes a
good product and is readily availiable. An antenna switch to ground  your
leads when not in use is also advisible.
> 3) wire antennas:  I have two locations (at right angles to each other)
for
> suspending wire antennas for shortwave stuff.  How would I connect a
50-ohm
> coax to: a) an end-fed wire, b) a center-fed dipole?  Some sort of balun
> needed?  Any recommendations on insulators?
<snip>  The dipole should feed direct, braid to one leg, center to the
other. There are 1/1 balun transformers sold for dipoles, I  haven't found
an advantage in them. On an end feed wire for recive only I ground the braid
of the coax at the point it leaves the building, and contect direct to the
wire. For transmiting you will need to use a tuner and grounding as
recomended by the tuner instructions. My favoite transmiting wires are the
GR5-V dipole with tuner if you are in a building with a lot of metal,
aluminum siding etc. If you are in a wood ( vinyl siding) house I really had
good luck using a Van Gordon All-bander which is basicly a doublet ( dipole
feed with 450 ohm ladder line). This  antenna requries a tuner and a suitble
balun  to match the 450-ohm antenna to 50 ohm feed but it has preformed very
well for me ( and is very reasonable @ $29 !).  73's Jon AB9AH
>
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