"Ian White G3SEK" wrote in message
...
Richard Harrison wrote:
"Is there a good layman`s book on grounding amateur gear?"

The ARRL Handbook for starters, My newest is the 1987 edition. It has
several pages of good suggestions on "The National Electrical Code",
protective devices, and lightning protection. They suggest books and
pamphlets to request for planning your installation.

There is also plenty of information on the ARRL website. The ARRL
Technical Information Service contains good information on a huge range of
technical questions:
http://www.arrl.org/tis/

For an overview on grounding, and how the separate requirements for mains
safety, lightning and RF grounding join together, start with:
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/grounding.html

Searching the whole ARRL site for "grounding" brings up other references
as well.

By the way, almost all homes in the UK are categorically exempt from
specific lightning protection requirements in the Wiring Regulations...
but that also means we are not very lightning-conscious,

I like that "we" bit.
"We" of the U.K are quite aware that if the U.K.was "careless"
Condoleeza Rice or Bush would not hesitate to quickly let us know.
And would threaten the U.K. with sanctions if it did not come
to heel and change it's practices with lightning speed..
Art



and UK radio
amateurs tend to be very careless about bonding of mains earths and RF
earths. This is a case where we'd do much better to follow US earthing
principles, if we possibly can.


--
73 from Ian G3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek

Art Unwin wrote:
"We" of the U.K. are quite aware that if the U.K. was "careless"
Condoleza Rice or Bush would not hesitate to quickly let us know."

I think not. No "shock and awe" for our U.K. peerless allies.

The U.S. just got a head start on lightning from our Bold Ben Franklin.
Luckily he survived. Then, after a Louisiana Purcjase and wars with
Mexico and Spain, it won tropical territories which are rife with
lightning. I know the sun never sets on the British Empire. It`s just
not the same when lightning tradhes some Zulu`s hut as when it strikes
your own digs. Lots of Americans live in Tampa-St. Petersburg. This one
spot holds the world record for lightning. I think the U.S.A. had more
motivation to mitigate the lightning problem.

Best regards, Richard Harrison, KB5WZI