RadioBanter - View Single Post

November 24th 03, 08:56 PM

(RHF) wrote in message
+ + + IMHO: For In-the-Attic Antennas this is the Best, Simplest,
Cost Effective and 'most' Practical Method of running/routing a
'common earth' Grounding Point to the Attic and ensuring that the
Balun is adequately Grounded.
= = = Sorry Everyone, but why create an overly reductant ground system
and bypass and duplicate the Grounding System that is being used for
the radios/receiver. [Ground to Radios to Attic Antenna is the
Shortest Route.] It is better for In-the-Attic Antennas; to first
improve upon the radios/receivers Grounding System: Then 'extend' it
up into the Attic to "Complete" the Entire Grounding System. {One For
All! -&- All For One!}
- - - Hey, What Works... WORKS !

Maybe so, but it's even better to use an antenna that is complete in
itself. That way you don't have to worry about a ground at all.
Nothing personal, but to me, running a ground to an attic in order to
ground a balun is the silliest thing I've ever heard of. I don't use a
grounding system for my radios at all unless I want to attach it as an
option. I rarely do. Ground is a noise source, not a noise sponge.
Only in some cases on MW or LW will using a ground help a balanced
antenna. And even then , it usually doesn't change the s/n ratio. Just
pumps up the S meter a tad.

-RHF- Unless you are Transmitting do not concern yourself
with ground loops. However, do not mix your Household's
A/C Electrical Ground and your Antenna's Grounding System.

ALL grounds should be tied together at a common point. If your antenna
or tower ground is not connected with your electrical ground, it's a
violation of NEC. It also puts you at risk of lightning damage due to
the differences in ground potentials. Also, if all grounds are tied to
a common point, and all gear uses it's own ground lead to that single
point, you'll never have to worry about ground loops. I'm sitting here
at my table now, 3 radios going, a 21 inch monitor on the same table,
three inches from my IC-706g. My puter is next to the display. Wires
running o-plenty. None are grounded in any way, except for any safety
grounding from the line cords. I might get a few spurs from place to
place in the spectrum, but adding a ground to my radio will have no
effect on those. Making sure my feedlines are well decoupled is the
best time spent. I never use antennas that are not complete in
themselves. IE: if I run a random wire, or vertical, I'll always
provide it's RF ground AT the antenna, not at the radio. The antenna
is then complete. But this is different than just providing a ground
wire to a balun in an attic. If I can't provide a proper rf ground, or
radials, etc, at that antenna, I use a balanced antenna. MK