I know this has been addressed on the group before but I remain confused.

I will string a dipole in the trees. The coax shield will be earth
grounded, as well as the balun and lightening arrestor.

Now, in the 2nd floor shack, I've read that running a ground line from
equipment 15 feet or more (in this case) to an earth ground will bring
RF into the shack and be a potent source for TVI, etc.

My choice, then, is to use the ground on the mains.

Given that the shield is earth grounded on the antenna and the equipment
is grounded to the mains, isn't this a good scenario for ground loop?

Seems like a catch-22.

My own gut says safety first, lower risk of RF issues after-the-fact by
? what ?

I remember suggestions of coiling the ground wire in an RF choke,
multiple ground lines of various lenghts to mess with harmonics.
Ferrite beads? Chicken blood and a black cat?

John