"JLewis" wrote in message
...
Based on the newsgroup, I'll assume you're not transmitting, but listening
to broadcasts... I'm curious why you are concerned about a 'ground'...?

Neither aluminum window frames nor 23rd floor plumbing pipes (which
usually
turn to plastic once in the framework of the building) will suffice as a
substitute for a good earth ground...

Does your radio require an "earth ground"? If so, try a tuned
counterpoise
on the ground lug for the bands most listened to... It will probably do
the
trick (If you need help locating one let me know via email, I have an
extra
one).

BTW - your email bounces.

Best of luck.

John

"Lucky" wrote in message
...
Hi guys!

I live on the 23rd floor of a building so I can't use the earth directly
for
the ground.
The options in my "radio room" are the ground from the electrical sockets
and that's about it.

I've heard I can roll out 10ft of tin foil on the floor as a ground
{that's
out}, or, use the window frames as a good ground. As far as I can tell,
the
window frame looks to be aluminum or some sort of alloy.

Have any of you heard of using a window frame as a ground? I think I read
it
in this NG that someone recommended it and was using it for his ground.
I've
been using the ground from an electrical outlet.

But being that so many people live in the building that use appliances
and
other plugged in items all day and night, I sometimes get what seems like
bad feedback affecting the receiver.

So what do you think of the window frame for the ground then? I welcome
any
other options I can use in a room very far from a direct earth ground.
The
bathroom pipes are all the way across the room separated by a wall. Not
easy
to get to.

Thanks for any help
Lucky





Hi guys,

Yes I didn't tell you what antenna I've been using. BTW I'm not transmitting
at all, just receiving.Due to size restrictions I have one random wire about
30 Ft long and a dipole approx 16 ft total length connected to a 4:1 current
balun.

These antennas are on the outside terrace and are fed in thru a window. I
had another smaller dipole like 6Ft total connected to the same balun also
but have since taken it down.

The seller of the current balun told me I didn't need a ground for it. I
didn't know much about dipoles then. But that I should still ground the
radio itself. The seller was RFjunkie from Ebay. He seemed to know a lot
about them so I grounded the R75, Lowe HF-150 and all of my radios since
then.

He said I would need a ground if it was a Voltage balun though but still
ground the rigs using the current balun just to be sure it I wanted.

Now, in all the radio manuals I read, and from reading many sites, they all
claim one must be grounded and grounded well even if receiving. I think more
of the old time users were adamant about grounding your radio for proper use
and protection. I read about static building up and the radio having to have
some kind of grounding.

So I grounded and many times it seemed to lower the noise floor on some
frequencies. So how do you know if you're making a real ground or just
another leg of an antenna??

Thank you kindly for all the replies
My e-mail bounces due to all the spam when I have my real one up.
Lucky