AJG,

Grounds & Grounding = Five Topics for your Consideration

FIRST - Check Your A/C Power Outlets with an A/C Outlet Analyzer
like the RadioShack # 22-141. This simple devise WARNS you of
Faulty Wiring in 3-Prong 110-125 VAC Outlets in your Household.

Detects and Indicates:
* Normal Wiring
* Bad Ground
* Open Neutral
* Reversed Hot/Neutral
* Reversed Hot/Ground
* Open Hot

Plus the newest version:
Tests for Correct Operation of Ground Fault Circuit Isolators.

NOTE: Remove this Analyzer from the packaging very carefully

SAVE: The Backing Card with the Printed Test Instructions
(These Instructions are Valuable)

IMHO: EVERY HOME OWNER SHOULD HAVE ONE OF THESE !

WHY: An external outside Earth Ground Rod with Ground Wire System
for your Radio Reception Equipment and and Antennas is Actually a
HAZARD if your Household Wiring is Bad.

TBL: SO CHECK YOUR HOUSEHOLD A/C ELECTRICAL OUTLETS FIRST [.]
NOTE: Often a Bad A/C Electrical Outlet is the Source of RFI.


SECOND - Making USE Of A GROUND When NO Other Ground Is Available.

WHY: Often this is necessary because there is not other ground
available; the Radio is being run on Batteries; a Wall Wart is
being used and the output is isolated/insulated from the A/C Ground.
This simply provides a basic External Ground Directly to the
Radio at a place designated on the Radio like a Ground Terminal
or SO-239 Jack.

WHAT: Buy a standard Heavy Duty (Appliance Type) Black Rubber
"Three Prong Plug" for use as the Ground Interface with your
Household Wiring and to create the 'external' Grounding Point.

CAUTION: Only connect the ROUND Ground (Green) Prong to a
16-18 AWG Stranded Green Colored Insulated Wire of 5-10 Feet
Length with a Slotted Terminal or Alligator Chip at the other end.
(Simply Do Not Use the two blade prongs.) Why use a Green Colored
Wire because "Green" represents Household Electrical Wiring Ground.

CONNECTION: Connect the Slotted Terminal or Alligator Clip to
the Ground Connection of the Radio like the Ground Terminal or
SO-239 Jack.


THIRD - Ground your Antenna(s) at the Antenna to Feed-in-Line
Junction (outside and the building) For Noise (RFI) Reduction
use Coax Cable as a Feed-in-Line from the Antenna to the Radio
and Equipment. This outside Ground Point becomes the "Primary"
Ground for your Antenna System.


FOURTH - For Your Personal Safety and to Protect your Radio Equipment:
* Disconnect the Antenna when the Radio is not in use and during
Electrical (T&L) Storms.
* Buy a SO-239 Connector and wire the center pin to the outer
threaded fastener. (Shorted) Connect this to your Shack's
Equipement Ground BUS if you bave one.
* When the Coax Cable is Disconnected from the Radio: Connect
the Coax Cable to the SO-239 Shorting Plug.
* When Disconnected, Keep the Coax Cable at least 18" away from
the Radio. Your Shack's Equipement Ground BUS should be at least
12"-18" away from all your equipment.
* Additionally during Electrical (T&L) Storms Un-Plug (Disconnect)
the Radios and Equipment from the A/C Wall Outlet(s).


FIFTH - HOW TO: Install the Ground ROD into the Ground:
(Eazy installation of Ground RODs)
* Dig a One to Two Foot Deep Hole 6"-9" Wide.
* Fill the Hole with Water and wait till it soaks into hole.
(If really dry, fill with more water and wait. Repeat this
process if necessary and waiting over a day and/or night is OK.)
* Now begin the Implantation of the ROD into the Ground.
* * First try simply Pushing the ROD into Ground for a few feet.
* * Use home made ROD Driver (A Two Feet piece of 1" Iron Pipe
with a Nipple on one end.) Slide it over the Top of the ROD
and use it to Tap the ROD into the Ground for a few more feet.
* * Finally use a Sledge Hammer or Heavy Object to Pound the
ROD into the Ground still using the Rod Driver over the ROD until
the Top of the ROD is level with the surounding Ground.
(Remove the ROD Driver and clean-up the surface of the ROD.)
* Attach the Ground Wires using a Heavy Duty Ground Wire Clamp
designed specifically to make this type of connection.
* Fill the Hole with a "50 / 50 Mixture" of original Soil (50%)
and the other (50%) made up of these parts of 1/2 "Bentonite"
(clay kitty litter); 1/3 Epson Salt; and 1/6 Copper Sulfate
works well 'in-the-ground' around ground rod. Water this down
and 'tamp-it-down' lightly over the next few days.


SIXTH - Your specific questions are answered in the body of your message.


iane ~ RHF
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= = = (Alan J Giddings)
= = = wrote in message . com...\
RMR RMR RMR RMR RMR RMR RMR RMR RMR RMR RMR RMR RMR RMR

Hello,

Can anyone offer me a little advice on the grounding of my SW
receivers? I have a couple old Soviet SW radios, a Sony SW77,
Sangean ATS-909 and a new Degen 1102. I want to make a ground
that will work well with any of these receivers.

Q - What material is best? Copper, Iron, Steel etc? A rod or plate?

=R= The most commonly used "Earthen Grounding Devise" is a
Eight Foot (8 Ft.) Copper Clad Steel Ground Rod.

Read "HOW TO: Install the Ground ROD into the Ground:" above.

Q - What is the best type of cable to use as a lead-in to the receiver?

=R= The most common type of connector from the Ground Rod to the
Radios and Equipment is Heavy Duty #8-#10 AWG Copper Wire this can
be Solid Bare Copper Wire or Seven Stranded Insulated Copper Wire.

Q - Is there an ideal length?

=R= The Shortest and most direct route as possible.

Depending on where the radio will be the lenght could be anything
from 5 Ft to 30 Ft.

Any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks,
Alan

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I Am Glad You Asked ~ RHF

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