[PCR-1000] grounding

Tue, 25 Feb 2003 18:55:43 -0500

He may not have stated "rf ground" in his question, but that is what his
question is really referring to; even he did not really realize it !!

When we do such things, like grounding or antennas, one should do some
study. First off, one can not discuss one without the other. He should
do some relevant reading about the 2 different things. Simply taking the
easy way out by posting a question to the list satisfies nothing really.
It becomes a "Monkey see Monkey do" experience and he learns nothing.
You don't have to get a degree in Antennas and Grounding but it is a
part of the hobby. An old UNIX computer term says RTFM. Read the fine
manual !!!
There is another way of reading the RTFM acronym but it is not for this
venue.

He may not be putting up a professional communications antenna but some
effort to learn something about what he is doing would suggest that he
would not even ask the question even though this is a forum for asking
questions and getting some help. I would have been much more willing to
answer questions on an effective way to ground radios and ground rod
systems. There are many. I gave him just a simple but effective one. 

He must read about both components, Antenna grounding and Receiver
grounding.
They are different but related !!

The bleeding of static wind charges on antenna wires during winter, the
induction of spurious "RF" noise and signals from common household items
and from neighborhood 
Sources either by "RF" or via electrical lines are all curable most
often. One must RTFM though. There is just so much information on the
web, communication mags such as Pop Com or through well known books out
by ARRL and such.

I know one way to get him to read about all this. After grabbing the
antenna wire one winter day when wanting to make an adjustment should
cure him in just about a micro second. His experience will be a shocking
one to be sure !!!!

I have never understood how people can enter such a hobby as this or
computers or other such interests but don't pick up a book and read !!!
If all one wants to do is to turn a knob and listen, then why not go buy
a portable radio and raise the telescoping antenna. This person bought a
PRC 1000 receiver. This means that he must connect it to a computer.
Most probably he *WILL* have "RF" induced. Using the ground screw on a
AC receptacle should do nothing but introduce even more noise. 

**** The amount of this noise will vary from time o f day, day of week
and from season to season. **** 

Will he know why? Heck, he may get so used to the noise that as it
varies and gets worse and somewhat better, he will not even notice it
any more !!! 

RTFM
Al Simcoe

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Skip Flem
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2003 5:11 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: [PCR-1000] grounding

   So was I wrong on my advice?
    I didn't mean to deceive him. I thought it was me who brought up the

term  RF GROUND.
      I'm sorry my piece of RG8 and ground rod didn't work.
        Thanks for letting me know.

At 04:47 PM 2/25/2003 -0500, you wrote:

>-----Original Message-----
>From: [email protected]
>[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Skip Flem
>Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2003 1:25 PM
>To: [email protected]
>Subject: RE: [PCR-1000] grounding
>
>Your radio is pretty much grounded through the power and computer
>connections.
>
>DC grounded, yes,  rf grounded, NO.
>His question is based on rf grounding.
>
>  Al Simcoe
>
>
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