"Jack Painter" wrote in message
newszWed.113241$Lo6.35776@fed1read03...
"Gerry Moersdorf" wrote
I am installing a G5RV antenna, and a new ground for my TS-2000. The
radio
is in the center of the house, and instead of running a long ground wire
to
a ground rod at the outside of the house, i was thinking of drilling a
hole
directly below the radio room in the basement floor and driving the
ground
rod there. That would make the ground wire only 6-8' long. Assuming i
do
not find a wastepipe while driving my ground, is there any issues with
getting a HF ground this way?

Gerry, if the G5RV is a non-radial using antenna (function is complete, as
in a dipole), then this so called RF ground from your transmitter will be
of
little if any use. If you ran ladder line to it directly from the
transmitter or tuner (and you were willing to tolerate RF in your shack
and
your home) maybe you do need an RF ground! G Assuming that's not the
case,
and you just want an RF ground anyway, the shortest path via minimum 3"
wide
copper strap would provide a good one, regardless of its basement location

Also, I was going to install lightning arrestors at the radio and ground
them to the new ground rod, is it better to place the lightning
arrestors
and an additional ground rod where the coax enters the house, or will
this
cause ground loop issues?

Thanks in advance to the collective wisdom of group.

Gerry KC8ZUL

Here is where you are mixing apples and oranges, because ground loops and
lightning protection are not related. The only time lightning arrestors
should ever be inside the shack is when they are immediately attached to
the
station single point ground *when that is inside the shack*. Mine is for
instance, but I am also alongside an outside wall under which is the
entry-point for all coax, and the shield-grounding point for same. If you
are transmitting from an interior room, far from the coax entry point to
the
home, then the coax shields should be grounded outside the home and
lightning arrestors installed there. The key is to have the lightning
arrestors on as short a connection to real earth ground as possible.
Preferably within 1' but in no cases more than 4' (via extremely low
impedance and high current capability connectors) from earth ground.

Your location indicates that an outside bulkhead (some call this a "ground
window") might be ideal. This would typically involve a copper plate
attached to the external coax entry point of the home. Bond this bulkhead
immediately to a minimum 5/8" x 8' ground rod (and bury the ground rod
top,
do not let it protrude above ground). Ground all coaxial cable shielding
to
the ground rod (or *heavy* strap leading to it) and attach the lightning
arrestors directly to the copper bulkhead above that. Then add a second
and
third ground rod, each fanning out from the first and a minimum of 12'
from
the first (16' is recommended).

If you are able to, install a very heavy (#2 or #4 copper) bonding
conductor
from your inside station ground (this might be in your basement) to your
electrical service entry ground. Also bond the AC service entry ground rod
to your outside coax entry grounding bulkhead. *If* you are able to
accomplish that, *and* you have good surge protection installed at 1: the
AC
service panel, and 2. the point-of-use in your shack, then it would be
safe
to leave the transmitter plugged into AC during a storm. Otherwise, no
matter how good your external grounding bulkhead and attached lightning
arrestors, there will still be a path for enough damaging potential from
ground to your radio, and out through the AC power cable. The critical
bonding conductor from radio to AC service entry helps but cannot
eliminate
this path. Without it, there is no safe connection to AC power during a
storm, no matter how good the surge protection is.

You can explore these comments in greater detail at:
http://members.cox.net/pc-usa/station/grounding.htm

73,
Jack


Jack and others,

Thanks for the weblink, this helped me understand what is going on with
grounding.

will go for external lightning grounds at feedlines, and extend the AC
safety ground to the shack. will give this a try !

gerry