[K3PZN-List] Current (2015) Carroll County Zoning for Permanent Amateur Radio Towers

Fri Jul 3 15:20:23 EDT 2015

Many years ago I was gonna install a nice high tower ( but never did) and when I checked with CC  they told me 100 ft was as high as you could go without a permit.  That may have changed now or it may have been BS ...but it should be checked if you live in the open ( I live in the woods and put up what I want and don't care anymore). 
Reference the grounding and entrance of your cables into the house. 
As of the 2007 printing of the NEC codes you had to bring ALL cables in at the DEMARC... that is the place where the electric and telephone come into the house (which should be the same) and the ground had to be all one ground system.  I do not know if the NEC codes have changed since that time but suspect they haven't.  CC follows a modified NEC code as far as I have ever been able to tell and what they follow seems to vary according to the phase of the moon or something... go figure. Do I do it this way.. no absolutely not and most hams don't because they want to stay away from the AC entrance ground and any possible noise that might come down that inside ground line.  But this poses its own problem i.e. ground loops... yes they happen! and you can get a substantial difference of potential between the two grounds too. 

One final note NEVER EVER put your ground rods in your concrete tower base. Lightening has a habit of hitting towers because they stick out above the trees and make great targets. IF you do take a hit and your grounds are in the concrete you have a very large chance of splitting your concrete base. 

I always float my antennas.. in other words I disconnect them from all radios EVERY time I leave the shack. This makes the antenna at the same potential as everything else and does not tie it to ground. I have done this since my novice days and for good reason.... ask me sometime about my old style Windom getting hit and vaporizing the wire... interesting story to hear and a good lesson for us all. 

Jim 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Peter Morton" <mortonph at comcast.net> 
To: "James Nitzberg" <wx3b at yahoo.com>, "Carroll County Amateur Radio Club" <k3pzn-list at mailman.qth.net> 
Sent: Friday, July 3, 2015 11:00:56 AM 
Subject: Re: [K3PZN-List] Current (2015) Carroll County Zoning for Permanent Amateur Radio Towers 

Jim- 

I put up an Aluma tower, bracketed to the house, two years ago.  I went 
by the CC permits office to find out what was needed.  The two clerks 
that greet you in the permits office sent me to the zoning office where 
I was informed there were no zoning restrictions for a communications 
tower.  Back at the permits office, I began filling out a permit request 
when a supervisor said that no permit is required for a communications 
tower.  They did ask me the height and when I said 50 feet, they lost 
complete interest.  I don't know what the CC height limitation is, but I 
suspect it might be the FAA's 200 feet.  I did inform them that the 
tower was 90 feet from the property line.  I don't think there are 
set-back requirements but be sure to check before putting up your 
tower.  No engineering drawings were required. 

I did insist on an electrical permit and inspection to have on hand in 
the event of an insurance issue in the future. 

I recommend that you stop by the permits office and talk to them. 

I put in three 8-foot ground rods around the base of the tower and, 
using #4 bare copper wire, tied the three legs of the tower to the rods 
and the rods to each other.  I ran a #4 bare copper wire from this 
ground system to the service-entrance ground at the opposite end of the 
house.  All ground connections under ground were CAD-welded (kit from 
The RFC).  Installing the ground system and running the long tie-in to 
the service entrance was not an insignificant task.  I had the whole 
system inspected. 

I mounted a NEMA box on the tower containing surge protectors for four 
antenna lines and a rotor cable (from Array Solutions).  See photos at 
http://www.W3GVX.com.  The beam in the photos has since been replaced by 
an OB-11-3. 

-Pete, W3GVX 

On 7/2/2015 3:02 PM, James Nitzberg via K3PZN-List wrote: 
> Dear CCARCers, 
> 
> There is a slight chance that I might find the desire and (volunteer) resource to put up a REAL tower in the future. 
> 
> Is anyone on this list familiar with the current permit process in Carroll County for Amateur Radio Towers? 
> 
> If you are such a resource, and you have had recent dealings with the Carroll County Government about putting up an 
> Amateur Radio tower, please contact me directly. 
> 
> I am looking specifically for the permit process, commentary on supplying engineering drawings of the proposed structure, 
> and language, if any on setbacks. 
> 
> Thank you!! 
> 
> Sincerely, 
> 
> Jim Nitzberg   WX3B 
> ______________________________________________________________ 
> 
> 73 de K3PZN Westminster, MD 
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______________________________________________________________ 

73 de K3PZN Westminster, MD 
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